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_!BKAR\ 


tJL.1  w  F\  u.   - 


THE     ART     AND     CRAFT     OF 
GARDEN     MAKING. 


WORKS  BY  THE  SAME  AUTHOR. 

"CIVIC  ART:     STUDIES    IN    TOWN    PLANNING, 
PARKS,  BOULEVARDS,  AND  OPEN  SPACES," 

BATSFORD. 

"  DUNFERMLINE," 

AN    ILLUSTRATED    REPORT    PREPARED    FOR 
THE    DUNFERMLINE    TRUST. 

"BOLTON," 

A    STUDY    IN    TOWN    PLANNING. 


FRONTISPIECE. 


GARDEN  MAKNG 


HONORARY  -A  -lu-B-  A- 
LECTURER.  ^LANDSCAPE 
DESIGN  of&  UNIVERSITY. 
LIVERPOOL. 


on . 


'-     -  LONDON 

B  T  BAT5FORD    94-  HFGH   HOLBORN 

NEW  YORK ;  CHAS.  SCRl&NERS   SONS 


/v\  v 


Main  Lib. 
Agric.  Dept 


Dedicated 

by    special    permission 
To    their    Royal    Highnesses 

Field- Marshal    the    Duke    of   Connaught 

and 

The    Duchess    of   Connaught 


280310 


PREFACE. 

THE    fact    that    my    book    "  THE    ART   AND   CRAFT   OF    GARDEN    MAKING  "    has    run 
through   three  editions   in   the  short   period  since   it   first   appeared,   could  not    fail 
to  be  gratifying  to  me,   and   the  very  indulgent  treatment  which   it  has  received, 
both   from  reviewers  and   the   large   circle  of  friends  which   my   practice  in   this   and  other 
countries  lias  given  me,   themselves  often  deeply  versed  in  many  of  the  subjects  dealt  with, 
has  been  a  continual  source  of  pleasure.     Their  kindness   could   not,   however,  blind  me  to 
many   faults   which   I   was  conscious    still    remained,    even    after    the    two    partial    revisions 
undertaken  before  issuing  the  second  and  third  editions,  and  it  was  this  consideration  which 
determined  me   to  re-write  and   very  largely  re-illustrate   the   book   for   a   fourth    edition. 

There  was  also  another  consideration  which  made  drastic  revision  necessary.  In 
the  sphere  of  garden  design,  as  in  every  other  phase  of  modern  life,  the  spirit  of  change 
has  made  itself  felt.  New  needs  have  arisen  and  new  practical  requirements,  the  out- 
come of  changing  conditions,  have  to  be  met.  As  an  instance  of  this,  one  has  only  to 
quote  the  coming  of  the  motor-car,  which  has  made  it  necessary  entirely  to  re-write 
those  portions  which  deal  with  drives,  entrances,  lodges  and  carriage  courts. 

In  the  arrangement  of  the  book,  a  two-fold  object  has  been  kept  in  view.  Not 
only  has  every  effort  been  made  to  deal  with  the  subjects  discussed  in  such  a  manner 
as  to  provide  interesting  consecutive  reading  to  all  who  love  a  garden,  but  also  to 
make  each  chapter,  dealing  with  a  special  branch  of  garden  making,  complete  in  itself, 
thus  giving  to  the  work  some  of  the  uses  of  a  book  of  reference.  This  latter  require- 
ment lias  necessitated  some  little  repetition,  which  it  is  hoped  the  general  reader  will 
pardon.  There  is  no  part  of  the  fascinating  subject  of  garden  design  which  has  not 
a  direct  influence  on  every  other  part,  and  therefore,  notwithstanding  this  confessed 
redundancy,  it  has  been  thought  necessary  to  provide  copious  indices  in  order  that 
each  branch  of  the  subject  may  be  still  further  collated. 

So  much  for  the  re-arrangement  of  the  literary  matter.  The  re-illustrating  has  been 
undertaken  from  a  different  motive.  In  the  first  edition  I  was  obliged  to  rely  almost 
entirely  on  perspective  drawings  to  help  me  to  visualize  the  plans  illustrated,  for,  though 
most  of  the  schemes  described  were  completed,  so  far  as  the  actual  work  of  formation 
was  concerned,  the  hand  of  time  was  necessary  to  clothe  the  groundwork  thus  created 
with  a  softening  and  beautifying  veil  of  greenery. 

In  the  present  edition,  however,  after  twenty-five  years'  practice,  I  am  in  a  position 
to  illustrate  by  photographs  from  my  own  work  nearly  all  the  points  dealt  with.  While 
this  almost  exclusive  use  of  examples  culled  from  my  own  practice  may  be  considered 
open  to  the  objection  that  it  narrows  the  outlook,  it  has  the  more  than  counterbalancing 
advantage  that  each  point  shows  some  problem  met  in  actual  practice,  and  successfully 
solved,  a  practical  gain  of  the  highest  importance. 

viii. 


PREFACE. 

Nevertheless  I  should  be  the  last  to  claim  that  any  merit  which  the  designs  illus- 
trated may  show  is  entirely  my  own.  In  almost  every  case  throughout  my  practice, 
where  a  scheme  prepared  has  gone  further  than  the  draughting  board,  I  have  owed 
much  to  the  interest  and  advice,  the  outcome  of  an  intelligent  and  discriminating  enthu- 
siasm for  the  work,  which  have  been  shown  by  my  Clients.  It  is  only  by  this  sympathetic 
collaboration  that  the  best  results  can  be  obtained. 

I  wish  also  freely  to  express  my  indebtedness  to  those  of  my  Clients  who  have 
kindly  permitted  me  to  illustrate  the  work  which  I  have  done  for  them.  I  also  desire 
to  acknowledge  the  help  rendered  by  my  Sons,  Messrs.  E.  Prentice  and  John  W. 
Mawson,  the  former  of  whom  executed  most  of  the  additional  drawings  prepared  for  this 
edition,  and  by  many  of  my  office  staff,  past  and  present,  including  Messrs.  R.  Atkinson, 
I).  Cameron,  N.  and  H.  Dixon,  J.  Dyer,  A.  N.  W.  Hodgson,  R.  Mattocks,  J.  R.  Mawson, 
H.  Pierce,  J.  Shaw  and  J.  B.  Walker,  each  of  whom  has  taken  a  keen  and  practical 
interest  in  the  production  of  the  work.  The  book  also  owes  much  to  the  illustrations  by 
Messrs.  E.  A.  Chadwick  and  E.  A.  Rowe,  particularly  the  coloured  plates. 

Lastly  I  wish  to  acknowledge  the  invaluable  services  rendered  by  my  Secretary  and 
former  pupil,  Mr.  James  Crossland,  who  arranged  my  MS.  for  the  printer.  Without  this 
collective  effort,  this  edition,  produced,  as  it  has  been,  in  the  intervals  of  an  extensive 
and  growing  practice,  would  have  been  impossible. 

THOMAS    H.    MAWSON. 

High  Street  House,  Lancaster. 
October,  1912. 


IX. 


List   of  Chapters. 


CHAPTER  i.  THE    PRECEDENT    OF    GARDEN    DESIGN. 

2.  THE    PRACTICE    OF    GARDEN    DESIGN,   t  $' 

3.  THE    CHOICE    OF   A   SITE    AND    ITS    TREATMENT.     2.  i 

4.  ENTRANCES    AND    CARRIAGE    COURTS. 

5.  GATES    AND    FENCES    FOR    GARDEN    AND    PARK. 

6.  DRIVES,    AVENUES   AND    SERVICE    ROADS.    ^ 

7.  TERRACES    AND    TERRACE    GARDENS. 

8.  FLOWER    GARDENS,    BEDS    AND    BORDERS.    10' 

9.  LAWNS,    GLADES   AND    GARDEN    WALKS.      \2- 

10.  VERANDAHS,    SUMMER-HOUSES,   PERGOLAS    AND    BRIDGES.   | 

11.  STATUARY,    TREILLAGE    AND    GARDEN    FURNITURE. 

12.  THE    DECORATIVE    TREATMENT    OF   WATER,     p 

13.  ROCK,    WALL    AND    BOG    GARDENS. 

14.  CONSERVATORIES,    GREENHOUSES,    VINERIES    AND    FRUIT    HOUSES. 

15.  KITCHEN    GARDENS    AND    ORCHARDS. 

16.  THE    FORMAL    ARRANGEMENT    OF   TREES.   ^  i 

17.  PLANTING    FOR    LANDSCAPE    EFFECT. 

18.  TREES    AND    SHRUBS    FOR    GARDEN    AND    PARK.  ^\ 

19.  CLIMBERS    FOR    WALLS,    PERGOLAS   AND    TRELLIS.   ^ L 

20.  HARDY    PERENNIALS    FOR    BEDS,    BORDERS,    ETC. 

EXAMPLES     OF   GARDEN    DESIGN. 

GARDENS   OF   VARIOUS   SIZES. 

Gardens   to   semi-detached   houses. 

Garden    to    small    detached    residence.    ^  ' 

Garden    for    a    larger    detached    residence. 

Garden     for     a     good-sized     suburban     residence,  j  3  If 

A  large    town    garden.     ^  $   » 

Grounds     to     a     new     Country     Seat.    ^  V  5 

Grounds     to     an     ancestral    domain.    3  f  °j 

GARDENS    OF    EXCEPTIONAL    KINDS. 
A    Lake    District    garden. 
A     Highland     garden.      i  *  ^ 
A     garden     on     a     flat     site.  3  6~^ 
A    garden    in    granite.     J  (>  3 

A    garden    to    a    classic    renaissance    mansion.  3^^ 
A    mountain    home.     ^  7 
A    hillside    garden.     .?  < 
An    old    Tudor    garden,     restored,     remodelled    and     enlarged    IT? 


x. 


FIG.      I. — END     OF     THE     GLADE,     LEWISTON     MANOR. 


CHAPTER    I. 

Before  considering  the  various  features  which  go  to  the  making  of  a  modern 
garden,  it  will  be  necessary  to  take  a  rapid  survey  of  the  history  of  the  art  of  Land- 
scape Architecture  so  far  as  it  has  any  immediate  bearing  upon  our  subject,  and 
provides  a  precedent  on  which  to  work. 

The  existence  of  gardens  may  be  taken  as  being  coeval  with  the  whole  period 
of  man's  growth  from  utter  barbarism  to  present-day  civilization  ;  but,  for  our  immediate 
purpose,  it  is  sufficient  to  deal  with  the  development  of  the  art  in  our  own  country. 
Those  who  are  interested  in  the  archaeological  aspect  of  the  subject  will  find  it  very 
fully  dealt  with  in  London's  "  Encyclopaedia  of  Gardening." 

The  evolutionary  lines  along  which  advance  is  made  in  every  art  demand  that  a 
thorough  knowledge  of  precedent  shall  form  a  prominent  part  of  the  training  of  the 
expert,  and  although  it  has  been  said  with  truth  that  landscape  architecture  suffers, 
in  comparison  with  other  arts,  from  the  paucity  of  its  precedent,  this  merely  means  that 
the  planning  of  the  modern  garden  is  a  young  art  capable  of  much  development,  and 
does  not  excuse  a  lack  of  knowledge  of  all  that  has  been  done  by  masters  of  the  craft 
in  this  country  during .  the  last  four  centuries. 

With  Roman  and  Norman  gardens  it  is  not  necessary  to  deal,  further  than  to 
say  that  they  probably  formed  the  basis  of  many  medieval  monastic  pleasaunces.  Up 
to  the  close  of  the  Tudor  period,  when  the  renaissance  in  all  forms  of  art  had  taken 
such  a  firm  hold  upon  Europe,  garden  design,  except  in  connection  with  Royal  Palaces, 
like  so  many  other  branches  of  knowledge,  was  almost  entirely  in  monastic  hands,  and 
most  of  the  existing  records  of  the  achievements  of  the  monks  are  contained  in  the 
illustrations  with  which  they  embellished  their  illuminated  manuscripts,  and  incidental 
references  to  the  beauties  of  their  parterres  and  pleached  alleys  in  the  metrical  romances 
of  the  period. 

From  the  time  of  Henry  II.,  however,  the  citizens  of  London  had  gardens  to  their  villas, 
while  later,  in  the  reign  of  Henry  V.,  the  gardens  at  Windsor  Castle,  which  he  knew 
well  from  his  imprisonment  there,  were  thus  described  by  King  James  I.  of  Scotland 
in  "  The  Quair  "  :— 


1  Now  was  there  maide  fast  by  the  touris  wall 
A  garden  faire,  and  in  the  corneris  set 
Ane  herbere  grene,  with  wandis  long  and  small 
Railit  about,  and  so  with  treeis  set 
Was  all  the  place  and  hawthorn  hedges  knet, 
That  lyfe  was  non,  walkyng  there  for  bye 
That  myght  within  scarce  any  wight  espye. 


So  thick  the  bewis  and  the  leves  grene 

Beschudit  all  the  alleyes  that  there  were, 

And  myddis  every  herebere  might  be  sene 

The  scharp  grene  swete  jenepere, 

Growing  so  fair  with  branches  here   and  there, 

That  as  it  semyt  to  a  lyfe   without, 

The  bewis  spred  the  herbere  all  about." 


Knowledge 
of  precedent 
necessary. 


Roman  and 

Norman 

Gardens. 


THE    PRECEDENT    OF    GARDEN    DESIGN. 

Monastic  Although  formality  was  the  rule  within  the  medieval  pleasure  grounds,  natural  foliage 

Gardening.  effects  were  interspersed  with  the  hedges,  "  beshaded  "  alley  walks,  topiary  borders, 
fountains,  flower  beds  planted  in  intricate  patterns,  arbours  and  flower-covered  trellis 
which  formed  the  greater  part  of  the  gardens.  The  charm  of  the  English  garden  has 
ever  been  its  adaptability  to  the  rural  and  pastoral  scenery  among  which  it  is  placed, 
and  in  this  respect  the  monastic  builders  and  designers  excelled.  They  first  chose  a 
site  of  natural  beauty,  as  may  be  seen  in  the  ruins  of  Bolton,  Fountains,  Tintern  or 
Furness,  and  then  built  their  abbeys  with  an  instinctive  feeling  for  harmony,  making 
them  blend  into  their  surroundings  of  river,  woodland  or  fertile  pasture  in  a  manner 
which  has  never  been  surpassed.  They  possessed  the  well-nigh  unique  power  of  adapting 
the  geometric  formalities  of  Gothic  architecture  to  natural  scenery,  and  so,  in  the  for- 
mation of  their  gardens,  the  natural  and  the  artificial  were  placed  side  by  side,  neither 
clashing  with  the  other,  but  each  gaining  added  beauty  from  the  contrast. 

The  souls  of  such  men  could  never  be  cramped  within  the  pleasing  neatnesses  of 
the  garden,  they  moved  in  larger  prospects,  their  admiration  and  wonder  were  called 
forth  by  the  beauties  of  Nature,  the  magnanimity  of  the  Creator  moved  them  to  higher 
thoughts  and  aspirations.  They  possessed  a  broad  grasp  of  Nature's  excellences,  the 
spirit  of  which  infused  alike  their  missals,  their  architecture  and  their  gardens  with 
that  sense  of  a  mystical  environment  which  the  least  responsive  to  sympathetic  sur- 
roundings must  feel  to  some  extent  at  least  in  an  old-world  pleasaunce. 

Renaissance  As  before  stated,  a  new  period  of  garden  design  commenced  during  the  Tudor  period.     Up 

Gardens.  to  the  commencement  of  the  reign  of  Henry  VIII.,  gardening,  in  common  with  all 
peaceful  arts,  had  suffered  a  serious  check  in  the  disturbed  state  of  the  country  during 
the  Wars  of  the  Roses,  but  the  advent  of  more  peaceful  times,  together  with  the 
advance  in  learning  and  travel,  inevitably  resulted  in  the  importation  of  foreign 
styles  of  design,  notably  the  Italian,  French  and  Dutch,  thus  infusing  fresh  life  into 
the  art. 

There  is,  however,  such  a  pronounced  individual  character  about  our  national  land- 
scape that  it  resists  the  heroic  stateliness  of  the  Italian  manner  with  its  too  lavish 
details  and  the  undue  artificiality  of  the  French  renaissance,  of  which  Versailles  is 
perhaps  the  most  typical  example,  as  well  as  the  curious  conceits  of  the  Dutch  styles. 
All  these  suit  their  own  countries  well  enough  but  are  not  at  home  in  England  ;  they, 
however,  held  the  field  in  succession  from  the  decadence  of  the  monastic  influence  until 
the  time  when  the  style  which  is  known  as  typical  English  gained  the  ascendency. 

The  Italian  style  was  probably  first  attempted  in  this  country  by  Henry  VIII.  at 
Nonsuch,  and  Wolsey  at  Hampton  Court,  though  the  gardens  at  the  latter  place,  as  they 
now  appear,  were  not  completed  until  the  reign  of  William  III.  The  existing  maze 
is  however  Wolsey 's  work. 

All  the  garden  books  of  the  sixteenth  century  abound  in  descriptions  of  Italian 
features  in  white  marble  and  Lydian  stone  copied  from  the  designs  of  Italian  Landscape 
Architects  of  the  period  ;  yet  there  is  evidence  in  the  writings  of  Doctor  Andrew  Borde 
and  Thomas  Hill  that  there  were  souls  who  yearned  for  emancipation  from  the  foreign 
yoke  and  its  artificialities,  and  to  breathe  their  native  air  in  an  environment  and  amidst 
features  which  accord  with  its  quiet  type  of  beauty. 

These  two  writers  paved  the  way  for  Gervase  Markham  and  William  Lawson  in  the  next 
century,  both  of  whom  wrote  from  practical  experience.  Their  works  abound  in  evidences 
of  their  innate  love  of  Nature  and  of  their  delight  in  sights  and  sounds  gratifying  to 
the  senses,  as  the  following  quotation  from  the  writings  of  the  latter  will  show  :— 

"  What  more  delightsome  than  an  infinite  varietie  of  sweet-smelling  flowers  ?   decking 

.  with  sundry   colours    the   greene  mantle   of    the    Earth,    the   universall    Mother    of    us    all, 

so   by   them    bespotted,    so    dyed,    that    all   the   world   cannot   sample    them,    and   wherein 


THE    PRECEDENT    OF    GARDEN    DESIGN. 

is  it   more  fit   to   admire   the   Dyer,    than  imitate   his  workemanship.     Colouring  not   onely 
the    earth,    but    decking    the    ay  re,    and    sweetning    every    breath    and    spirit." 

It  is  in  these  men  and  such  as  they,  that  the  English  school  of  garden  design  finds 
its  parentage.  They  wrote  for  the  people  of  average  means  rather  than  for  the  very 
wealthy,  and  they  advocated  a  restrained  and  ordered  formality  in  the  least  ambitious 
gardens.  They  retained  all  that  was  pleasing  of  the  medieval  examples,  the  high  en- 
closing wall,  the  clipped  hedges,  the  knots  and  borders,  advocating  the  inclusion  of 
topiary  and  straight  paths  bounding  and  intersecting  short  courts  of  grass,  with  a  foun- 
tain, a  sundial  or  a  pyramid  at  their  junction. 

They  knew  how  to  frame  the  dainty  jewel  in  its  rustic  green  setting,  trim  and 
neat  within  and  in  harmony  with  its  rural  surroundings  without,  and  even  with  the 
azure  sky  above.  They  resented  the  grandiose  assumptions  of  the  Italian  and  other 
imported  styles  and,  in  attempting  to  repair  the  vagaries  of  the  landscapists  who  suc- 
ceeded them,  it  is  to  these  same  healthy  traditions  we  must  return. 

The  Italian  inspiration  was  fostered  under  the  renaissance  revival  by  Inigo  Jones, 
who  had  studied  the  neo-classic  style  in  Italy  and  had  given  special  attention  to  the 
productions  of  Palladio,  and  who  erected  what  is  probably  the  first  garden  pavilion 
ever  built  in  England,  at  Beckett  near  Farringdon.  This  revived  interest  in  classic 
architecture  had  a  salutary  effect  on  the  design  of  both  houses  and  gardens  in 
demanding  in  everything  proportion  and  symmetry  and,  although  widely  popular  up 
to  the  time  of  the  supremacy  of  the  Puritans  and  the  disturbances  of  the  civil  war,  when 
the  gentler  arts  were  for  a  time  despised,  nevertheless  provides  the  highest  standard  for 
the  education  of  public  taste  reached  up  to  the  close  of  the  last  century. 

The  accession  of  Charles  II.  restored  garden  design  to  favour.  It  was  he  who 
invited  to  this  country  le  Notre,  whose  creations  at  Versailles  and  other  places  were 
on  the  largest  possible  scale.  Such  gardens  as  he  planned  needed  an  enormous  expanse 
of  ground  and  were  combined  with  avenues  which  extended  for  miles  beyond  the  boun- 
daries of  the  garden  proper.  Le  Notre  taught  the  English  gardeners  expansive  ideas, 
though,  with  exceptions  like  Badminton,  there  have  naturally  not  been  many  oppor- 
tunities of  carrying  them  out.  The  ordinary  country  gentleman  of  the  time  avoided 
sumptuous  effects  and  remained  staunch  to  the  unpretentious  delights  which  had  pleased 
his  ancestors.  That  le  Notre  could  adapt  himself  to  his  environment,  however,  is  evident 
from  his  work  at  St.  James's  and  Greenwich  Parks. 

With  William  and  Mary  was  introduced  the  quaintness  of  the  Dutch  garden,  which 
later  ran  riot  in  extravagant  and  ridiculous  topiary.  It  was  a  degenerate  art  which 
destroyed  the  restful  simplicity  which  had  hitherto  been  such  a  marked  characteristic  of 
the  national  school  of  garden  design.  The  introduction  of  these  foreign  styles  had 
an  unsettling  effect  on  English  gardening  and,  when  the  teased  and  tortured  extrava- 
gances fell  before  the  ridicule  of  Walpole,  Pope,  and  Addison,  a  new  fashion  was  evolved 
which  usurped  to  itself  the  title  of  the  "  Natural  Style,"  though,  in  spite  of  all  that 
it  professed,  it  was,  in  a  different  way,  as  much  the  subject  of  rules  and  as  formal 
as  anything  which  had  gone  before.  As  we  see  in  the  writings  of  Markham  and  Lawson, 
the  formality  of  the  old  school  was  more  honest  and  logical  and  more  sincere  in  its 
genuine  love  of  Nature. 

From    this    time    up    to    the    latter    part    of    the    nineteenth    century,    garden    design,     Decay   of 
considered   as   a   decorative   art,    could   not   be   said    to   have   made   any   decided   advance,     the  Italian 
Even    the    wealth    of    material    which    had    been    evolved   or    introduced    in    the    interval,     School. 
and    which    should    have    enlarged    the    scope    of    the    art,    merely    resulted    in    obscuring 
broad  principles  under  a   mass  of  small   detail   and  in  giving  free   rein  to   those   lovers   of 
the   curious    and    exotic    who,    by    converting   the   garden   into    a   floral   and   arboricultural 
museum,    destroyed    its    restfulness    and    placed    it    entirely    out    of    sympathy    with    the 


THE    PRECEDENT    OF    GARDEN    DESIGN. 

surrounding  rural  scenery.  If  we  study  the  principles  upon  which  the  medieval  and 
renaissance  gardeners  worked,  and  contrast  them  with  the  practice  of  the  garden  designers 
of  the  last  century,  we  find  that  the  former  subordinated  every  detail  to  principle, 
whereas  the  latter  considered  sundry  points  of  detail  to  the  exclusion  of  any  regard  for 
the  scheme  as  a  whole  and  of  the  relation  the  parts  should  bear  to  it. 

The  men  of  the  old  school  were  idealists  and  expressed  their  ideas  in  a  straight- 
forward, common-sense  manner,  basing  everything  on  a  balanced  plan  and  using  ornament 
to  emphasize  it.  They  laid  out  a  garden  in  so  many  plots,  with  hedges  or  trellis  round 
each,  or  a  tree  was  planted  at  each  corner  to  give  point  and  expression  to  the  shape. 
We  have  to  thank  these  old  designers  for  many  stately  avenues,  grand  parterres,  quiet 
alleys,  shady  walks,  sparkling  fountains,  quaint  hedges,  architectural  ponds  and  broad 
lawns,  wedded  together  in  such  a  masterly  way  as  to  impress  the  spectator  with  the 
grandeur  and  transparent  honesty  of  the  whole  scheme.  Their  restrained  and  harmonious 
details,  so  admirably  adapted  to  the  purpose  they  had  to  serve,  marked  these  early 
designs  as  the  work  of  men  of  the  widest  sympathy  with  garden  craft.  Here,  in  figures 
Nos.  2  and  3,  are  two  examples  of  their  work,  the  first  shewing  Haddon  Hall,  erected 
on  a  Derbyshire  hillside  and  needing  the  support  of  masonry,  thus  giving  an  opportunity 
to  its  designer  for  a  chaste  and  beautiful  balustrade  and  a  fine  flight  of  steps.  The 
other  is  of  Levens  Hall,  suggesting  a  strong  Dutch  influence,  a  style  more  adapted  to 
gardens  laid  out  on  a  level  site. 

Eighteenth  '  Landscape  Gardeners,"   as  the   garden  designers  of   the  late  Georgean   and  Victorian 

Century  periods  called  themselves,  may,  for  want  of   a  more  correct   expression,   be  called  realists, 

Gardening.  their  theory  being  that  the  perfection  of  the  art  of  garden  making  consisted  in  pedantic 
imitation  of  Nature.  The  founder  of  this  school  was  "  Capability  Brown,"  a  man  who 
was,  for  a  long  time,  regarded  as  a  genius.  As  he  lived  at  a  period  in  which  almost 
every  branch  of  art  and  literature  was  in  the  throes  of  change,  there  is  no  wonder 
that  he  turned  his  back  upon  the  old  examples  of  garden  design  and  espoused  the 
promised  novelty  of  what  he  and  his  followers  conceived  to  be  a  new  discovery,  which 
was  briefly  that  every  bit  of  pastoral  scenery  was  of  itself  a  garden  fair,  which  they 
fondly  imagined  could  be  reproduced  wherever  the  designer  willed.  Brown  and  his 
admirers  thought  that  the  old  pleasaunces  possessed  greater  possibilities  than  the  original 
designer  had  realised,  so  down  came  the  terrace  walls,  the  mattock  was  laid  to  the 
roots  of  the  box  and  yew  hedges,  and  the  pleached  alleys  were  demolished.  Remon- 
strance or  counsel  was  useless,  the  tide  had  set  in,  onward  it  ruthlessly  swept,  regardless 
of  the  labours  of  a  past  generation  and  recking  little  of  the  sanctifying  hand  of  time. 
Nature,  they  proclaimed,  must  henceforth  supplant  idealization,  and  the  crudest  effects 
perpetrated  in  her  name  be  placed  on  a  higher  pedestal  than  that  ordered  symmetry  and 
balanced  proportion  which  is  the  soul  of  all  true  design. 

The  old  school  was  doubtless  decadent,  and  some  corrective  to  the  vagaries  and 
appalling  insipidities  into  which  it  had  fallen  was  certainly  required,  but  such  a  revolu- 
tionary change  as  that  brought  about  by  the  garden  designers  of  the  eighteenth  and 
the  beginning  of  the  last  century  is  to  be  deplored.  The  ability  of  these  men  was 
measured  by  the  amount  of  deception  they  were  able  to  perpetrate,  for  their  one  claim  to  fame 
consisted  in  imitation  and  not  in  invention.  With  such  ideas  it  is  not  surprising  that 
sham  castellated  ruins  and  other  absurdities  came  to  be  considered  as  necessary  adjuncts 
to  garden  scenery.  Ignorance  and  blind  infatuation  must  altogether  have  possessed  these 
innovators,  or  they  would  have  seen  that  the  old  designers  had  learned  many  of  the 
secrets  of  Nature  which  they  seldom  caught. 

It  is   refreshing  to   find  that,   among  all  this  turmoil  of  propaganda  of   new  ideas,— 
this  wanton  destruction  of   beautiful  work  for  the  sake  of    an  upstart  fashion, — there  were 
men   who   still   clung  to   the    old   principles   and   who   dared   to   risk   adverse   criticism   by 


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FIG.     4. — SCOTCH    FIRS    ON    BRATHAY     CRAGS,     WINDERMERE,     IN     WINTER. 


FIG.     5. — SCOTCH     FIRS     ON     BRATHAY     CRAGS,     WINDERMERE,     IN     SUMMER. 


8 


THE    PRECEDENT    OF    GARDEN    DESIGN. 


planting  avenues  of  one  tree  which  fortunately  were  never  discovered  by  the  "  garden 
improvers." 

In  their  own  way,  too,  and  without  arrogating  to  themselves  the  control  of  Nature, 
the  old-time  designers  secured  those  unlooked-for  surprises  and  cosy  retreats  in  which 
she  abounds,  whereas  the  men  who  claimed  the  sole  possession  of  her  secrets  perpetrated 
the  saddest  kind  of  formalism,  as  may  be  seen  to-day  in  the  suburbs  of  all  towns  and 
especially  in  their  planting.  The  conscious  effort  to  avoid  a  straight  line  is  particularly 
wearying  and  there  is  a  satiating  sameness  in  their  methods  of  arranging  deciduous 
trees  and  pines,  two  or  three  of  the  former  to  one  of  the  latter. 

Thus  were  the  two  schools  of  garden  makers  opposed  to  one  another — the  first  relying 
on  design  for  power  of  expression  and  the  latter  on  their  skill  in  imitating  Nature. 
Had  Brown  and  his  followers  been  content  with  imitation,  they  would  have  simply 
perpetrated  so  many  absurd  and  expensive  frauds,  but  this  did  not  meet  the  whole  of 
their  misguided  practice.  Walks  and  drives  and  many  other  things  were  required  which 
could  not  be  made  to  imitate  Nature,  and,  as  stated  elsewhere,  this  led  to  many  of 
the  garden  designer's  most  promising  media  being  treated  as  unfortunate  necessities. 
For  the  solution  of  the  problem  thus  presented,  the  rule  was  invented  that  "  Nature 
abhors  a  straight  line,"  for  these  self-styled  followers  of  Nature  had  no  eyes  to  see 
the  silver  gleam  across  rippled  water,  the  straight  line  in  a  sunset  sky  or  the  symmetry 
of  the  towering  pine.  The  indiscriminate  application  of  this  rule  to  roads,  lawns  and 
other  features  could  not  but  produce  disastrous  results.  Drives  were  made  to  wriggle 
across  flat  expanses  where  every  other  consideration  would  dictate  a  straight  line,  and 
lawns  also  which  were  flat  or  only  gently  undulating  had  to  be  altered  to  imitate 
"  Nature  in  her  best  moods,"  and  so  "undulating"  became  a  stock  accomplishment. 

In  dealing  with  the  open  landscape  of  the  home  park,  however,  the  work  of  this 
school  is  often  commendable  for  its  breadth.  Theirs  was  a  great  age  for  the  planter. 
Although  they  demolished  avemies  which,  they  said,  arbitrarily  parcelled  the  landscape 
off  into  sections  and  prevented  breadth  of  effect,  they  largely  atoned  for  this  by  em- 
phasizing the  natural  features,  by  crowning  the  heights  and  planting  their  slopes  with 
homely  native  trees,  and  clearing  timber  from  the  valleys  so  that  the  hills  might  rise 
still  higher  and  the  valleys  appear  deeper.  To  them  are  due  many  of  the  magnificent 
backgrounds  of  ancient-  trees  against  which  our  ancestral  homes  nestle.  In  the  view 
of  Brathay  Rocks,  Windermere,  planted  with  Scotch  firs  (111.  Nos.  4  &  5),  we  have 
one  of  those  characteristic  features  upon  which  the  old  landscapists  would  have  seized. 

After  Brown  came  Repton,  who,  while  he  professed  to  be  a  follower  of  Brown,  was 
unquestionably  far  ahead  of  his  master  in  intelligence  and  power  to  grasp  the  importance 
of  the  office  of  design.  In  many  instances  he  refused  to  destroy  old  gardens,  and  in 
others  he  readjusted,  in  a  consummate  manner,  the  vagaries  of  his  predecessor.  Repton 
learned  what  was  consistent  with,  and  even  a  necessary  accompaniment  of  architecture. 
Whereas  the  old  garden  designers  favoured  a  formal  scheme  and  the  followers  of  Brown 
an  entirely  natural  garden,  Repton  recommended  formality  near  the  house,  merging 
into  the  natural,  attaching  the  house  by  imperceptible  gradations  to  the  landscape. 
He  took  a  further  step  towards  idealism  by  making,  for  each  scheme,  a  number  of 
sketches  shewing  how  the  place  would  appear  when  the  trees  had  attained  a  certain 
growth,  so  that,  while  the  results  of  his  methods  were  not  demonstrable  to  the  same 
extent  as  in  the  designs  for  a  geometrical  garden,  which  can  be  projected  in  planes  by 
perspective  drawing,  there  was  a  degree  of  probability  in  his  proposals. 

In  his  "  Sketches  and  Hints,"  Repton  enunciated  ten  principles,  the  outcome  of  his 
experience,  which  shew  the  responsible  position  he  took  in  respect  to  garden  design  and 
estate  improvement.  They  are  of  such  general  interest  that  we  make  no  excuse  for 
printing  them  in  extenso  :— 


Two 
Opposed 
Schools  of 
Garden 
Design. 


Repton. 


THE    PRECEDENT    OF    GARDEN    DESIGN. 

No.  i.  "  There  is  no  error  more  prevalent  in  modern  gardening,  or  more  frequently 
carried  to  excess,  than  taking  away  hedges  to  unite  many  small  fields  into 
an  extensive  and  naked  lawn,  before  plantations  are  made  to  give  it  the  ap- 
pearance of  a  park  ;  and  where  ground  is  sub-divided  by  sunk  fences,  imaginary 
freedom  is  dearly  purchased  at  the  expense  of  actual  confinement." 

No.  2.  "  The  baldness  and  nakedness  round  the  house  is  part  of  the  same  mis- 
taken system,  of  concealing  fences  to  gain  extent.  A  palace,  or  even  an  elegant 
villa,  in  a  grass  field,  appears  to  me  incongruous  ;  yet  I  have  seldom  had 
sufficient  influence  to  correct  this  common  error." 

No.  3.  "  An  approach  which  does  not  evidently  lead  to  the  house,  or  which  does 
not  take  the  shortest  course,  cannot  be  right.  (This  rule  must  be  taken  with 
certain  limitations.  The  shortest  road  across  a  lawn  to  a  house  will  seldom 
be  found  graceful  and  often  vulgar.  A  road  bordered  by  trees  in  the  form  of 
an  avenue,  may  be  straight  without  being  vulgar  ;  and  grandeur,  not  grace  or 
elegance,  is  the  expression  expected  to  be  produced.) 

No.  4.  "A  poor  man's  cottage,  divided  into  what  is  called  a  pair  of  lodges  is  a 
mistaken  expedient  to  mark  importance  in  the  entrance  to  a  Park. 

No.  5.  "  The  entrance  gate  should  not  be  visible  from  the  mansion,  unless  it  opens 
into  a  court-yard." 

No.  6.  "  The  plantation  surrounding  a  place,  called  a  Belt,  I  have  never  advised  ; 
nor  have  I  ever  willingly  marked  a  drive,  or  walk,  completely  round  the  verge 
of  a  park,  except  in  small  villas,  where  a  dry  path  round  a  person's  own  field 
is  always  more  interesting  to  him  than  any  other  walk." 

No.  7.  "  Small  plantations  of  trees,  surrounded  by  a  fence,  are  the  best  expedients 
to  form  groups,  because  trees  planted  singly  seldom  grow  well ;  neglect  of 
thinning  and  removing  the  fence,  has  produced  that  ugly  deformity  called  a 
Clump." 

No.  8.  "  Water  on  an  eminence,  or  on  the  side  of  a  hill,  is  among  the  most  common 
errors  of  Mr.  Brown's  followers  :  in  numerous  instances  I  have  been  allowed  to 
remove  such  pieces  of  water  from  the  hills  to  the  valleys ;  but  in  many  my  advice 
has  not  prevailed. 

No.  9.  "  Deception  may  be  allowable  in  imitating  the  works  of  NATURE  ;  thus 
artificial  rivers,  lakes,  and  rock  scenery,  can  only  be  great  by  deception,  and  the 
mind  acquiesces  in  the  fraud,  after  it  is  detected  :  but  in  works  of  ART  every 
trick  ought  to  be  avoided.  Sham  churches,  sham  ruins,  sham  bridges,  and 
everything  which  appears  what  it  is  not,  disgusts  when  the  trick  is  discovered." 

No.  10.  "  In  buildings  of  every  kind  the  character  should  be  strictly  observed. 
No  incongruous  mixture  can  be  justified.  To  add  Grecian  to  Gothic,  or  Gothic 
to  Grecian,  is  equally  absurd  ;  and  a  sharp  pointed  arch  to  a  garden  gate  or 
a  dairy  window,  however  frequently  it  occurs,  is  not  less  offensive  than  Grecian 
Architecture,  in  which  the  standard  rules  of  relative  proportions  are  neglected 
or  violated. 

'  The  perfection  of  landscape  gardening  consists  in  the  fullest  attention  to 
these  principles — Utility,  Proportion,  and  Unity,  or  harmony  of  parts  to  the 
whole." 

Brown  and  Repton  had  a  host  of  imitators  who  followed  one  another  in  an  ever 
descending  scale  of  puerile  imitation,  until  the  whole  art  of  garden  design  was  reduced 
to  the  arrangement  of  the  four  factors  of  clumps  of  trees,  belts  of  planting,  single  trees, 
and  "  undulations  "  accompanied  by  sheets  of  water  arranged  according  to  one  unvarying 
stock  design  which  differed  only  so  far  as  the  size  of  the  estate  made  absolutely  necessary. 


10 


THE    PRECEDENT    OF    GARDEN    DESIGN. 

Speaking  of  this  period,  Loudon  says  :  —  "  The  Professor  required  no  further  exami- 
nation of  the  ground  than  what  was  necessary  to  take  the  levels  for  forming  a  piece 
of  water,  which  water  uniformly  assumed  one  shape  or  character,  and  differed  no  more 
in  different  situations  than  did  the  belt  or  the  clump.  So  entirely  mechanical  had  the 
art  become,  that  one  might  have  guessed  what  would  have  been  the  plan  given  by  the 
professor  before  he  was  called  in  ;  and  Price  actually  gives  an  instance  in  which  this 
was  done.  The  activity  of  this  false  taste  was  abated  in  England  before  our  time  " 
(Loudon  wrote  at  the  beginning  of  the  nineteenth  century),  "  but  we  have  seen  in 
Scotland,  between  the  years  1795  and  1805,  we  believe,  above  a  hundred  of  such  plans, 
in  part  formed  by  local  artists,  but  chiefly  by  an  English  professor,  who  was  in  the 
habit  of  making  annual  journeys  to  the  North,  taking  orders  for  plans,  which  he  got 
drawn  on  his  return  home,  not  one  of  which  differed  from  the  rest  in  anything  but 
magnitude.  These  plans  were,  in  general,  mounted  on  linen,  which  he  regularly  pur- 
chased, in  pieces  of  some  hundreds  of  yards  at  a  time,  from  a  celebrated  bleachfield 
adjoining  Perth." 

This  state  of  affairs  led  to  the  letting  loose  of  a  flood  of  argument  as  to  what 
were  the  principles  on  which  gardens  should  be  designed  and  whence  they  should 
obtain  their  artistic  precedent.  Repton,  Knight  and  Price  were  conspicuous  in  the  fray 
both  from  the  volume  of  their  writings  and  the  weight  of  their  arguments,  and  the 
subject  even  became  the  motive  of  a  novel  and  the  subject  of  poetry. 

The   upshot    was    that    the   whole    art    fell   more    or   less   into    disuse    for    a    time    and     5^   Joseph 
only  entirely  revived  with  the  advent  of  Sir  Joseph  Paxton,   whose  excellence  as  a  natural     Paxton  and 
genius    in    the    science    of    constructional   engineering,    coupled    with    his    experience    as    a     his  contem- 
practical    gardener,    were    considered    sufficient    qualifications    for    work    which,    above    all     poraries. 
things,  demands  a  most  catholic  art  training. 

Nevertheless  his  work,  together  with  that  of  his  contemporaries,  Edward  Milner, 
Robert  Marnock,  Edward  Thomas  and  Edward  Kemp,  was  not  without  very  considerable 
merit  and  a  great  advance  on  that  which  preceded  it.  It  stands  out  in  bold  re- 
lief against  that  of  the  host  of  nurserymen  and  garden  contractors  who,  encouraged  by 
negligent  architects  and  indifferent  clients,  added  to  their  legitimate  occupation  what 
they  were  pleased  to  call  "  Landscape  Gardening,"  which,  whatever  the  term  might 
convey  to  the  customer,  did  not  suggest  to  the  professor  of  the  trade  any  study  or 
knowledge  of  the  arts. 

It  is  not  surprising  therefore  that,  towards  the  end  of  the  last  century,  the  whole 
art  was  viewed,  by  persons  of  education  and  taste,  more  in  a  spirit  of  toleration  than 
with  any  enthusiasm  for  its  development  and  that,  between  the  architect  for  the  house 
and  the  planner  of  its  surroundings,  there  should  grow  up  a  mutual  contempt  and  mis- 
understanding. 

Kemp,  by  his  writings  and  work,  alone  did  much  to  heal  this  breach.  He  published, 
under  the  title  of  "  How  to  lay  out  a  Garden,"  a  most  excellent  book  which  ran  through 
three  editions.  The  following  quotation  from  the  preface  to  the  third  edition  of  this 
work  shews  how  nearly  Kemp  approached,  at  least  in  appreciation,  to  the  architect's 
outlook  on  garden  design  :— 

"It  is  much  to  be  regretted  that  architects  and  landscape  gardeners  do  not  more 
usually  work  together  in  complete  unison  from  the  very  commencement  of  any  under- 
taking in  which  they  are  jointly  consulted  ;  and  he  who  would  produce  a  work  in  which 
the  relation  of  the  two  arts  to  each  other,  and  the  elements  of  garden  architecture  and 
of  architectural  gardening,  should  be  skilfully  handled  and  tastefully  illustrated,  would 
deserve  the  thanks  of  the  entire  art-loving  community." 

The  undoubted  revival  which  has  followed  the  mistakes  of  the  Early  Victorian  era 
in  all  forms  of  art  is  having  its  influence  on  Landscape  Architecture.  The  dictum 


Kemp. 


ii 


THE    PRECEDENT    OF    GARDEN    DESIGN. 

The  modern     that    every    common   thing    about    our   homes    should    be    so    designed    as    to    be    beautiful 

revival  in         without  impairing  its  usefulness,  while  it   has  inevitably  led  to  some  of  the  extravagances 

garden  of  the  "  Art  nuovo  "  cult,  has  had  an  unbounded  influence  for  good,  and  the  recognition 

design.  of  the  equally  obvious  truism   that  all  art  media  owe  their  artistic  effect  to  juxtaposition 

of  harmony   or   contrast  has  led  us   to  see   that,   between   the   designer  of  the   house   and 

the    architect    of    its    setting,    there    must    be    the   closest    artistic    sympathy    and    mutual 

appreciation  if  the  result   of  the   work   is   to   be   successful. 

This  close  sympathetic  connection  can  only  be  realized  when  the  education  of  the 
votaries  of  these  two  departments  of  art  is  based  upon  a  broadened  curriculum  which 
will  ensure  each  gaining  an  insight  in  the  round  into  the  aesthetic  factors  dominating 
the  sphere  of  the  other. 

We  now  stand  at  the  parting  of  the  ways  and  it  remains  to  be  seen  whether  the 
landscape  architect  on  the  one  hand  will  co-operate  with  the  domestic  architect,  and 
whether  the  latter  will  work  in  generous  harmony  with  him,  or  whether  the  houses  and 
gardens  of  the  future  are,  by  their  aloofness  from  one  another  and  want  of  aesthetic 
connection,  to  shew  evidences  of  that  lack  of  all  appreciation  on  the  part  of  each  for 
the  work  of  the  other  which  has  marked  the  domestic  architecture  of  the  last  century. 
Eventually,  but  not  before  we  are  prepared  to  devote  a  longer  period  to  academic  studies, 
these  two  callings,  so  necessary  to  each  other  and  so  closely  interwoven  at  every  point,  may 
merge  into  one. 


• 


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CHAPTER    II. 

The  foregoing  brief  sketch  of  the  history  of  garden  making,  so  far  as  it  relates  to 
Great  Britain,  naturally  raises  the  question — What  should  be  the  aim  and  position  of 
the  ART  AND  CRAFT  OF  GARDEN  MAKING  at  the  present  day  ? 

To  understand  thoroughly  the    bearings  of  this  question,    we    must  first  of  all  realize     The  term 
that   garden   design,    or   the    Architecture   of   Gardens,    is   only   a   part   of  a   much   greater     "Landscape 

subject   of    infinitely  wider    application,   the  profession   of    Landscape   Architecture,    and,   if     Arcnitec- 

tuYe 
we    examine    the    aims,    scope    and   intention    of   this    art,    we    shall    by    that    means   most 

easily  arrive  at  the  answer  to  our  question. 

Before  proceeding  to  do  this,  however,  we  would  explain  that  the  term  "  Landscape 
Architecture  "  is  not  of  our  choosing.*  Its  unfortunate  etymological  significance,  which 
would  seem  to  suggest  puerile  interference  with  natural  scenery  or,  worse  still,  the  attempt 
to  reproduce  Nature's  glories  on  a  mean  scale  in  competition  with  artificial  surroundings, 
has  undoubtedly  helped  to  obscure  the  real  purpose  of  the  art  and  to  reduce  its  practice 
to  the  debased  level  at  which  we  find  it  in  the  average  town  garden,  where  sickly  exotic 
plants  and  blood-red  terra-cotta  predominate. 

Shortly  defined,  Landscape  Architecture  is  the  art  of  co-relating  the  component  parts 
of  a  scheme  over  large  areas.  It  aims  at  the  rhythmic,  balanced  or  co-ordinated  relation 
of  all  the  units,  utilitarian  or  decorative,  employed  within  the  area  under  treatment.  It 
aims  at  producing  a  collective  effect  from  the  scattered  units  presented  by  the  component 
parts,  whether  they  be  ecclesiastical,  public,  or  domestic  buildings,  trees,  greensward, 
roadway  or  flower  beds,  giving  everything  its  proper  place  in  relation  to  the  whole, 
and  marking  fittingly  by  their  arrangement  the  relative  importance  of  each  object. 

This  leads  to  the  reflection — Are  not  architecture,  horticulture,  engineering  and  all  the 
other  factors  which  go  to  the  making  of  a  city  or  domain,  parts  of  one  great  art  or 
science  ?  Yes,  in  one  sense,  and  this  art  is  Landscape  Architecture.  In  another  sense 
they  are  not,  for  it  is  impossible  to  conceive  of  an  art  without  an  artist  or  art-craftsman 
capable  of  grasping  even  the  technicalities  of  his  art,  and  the  whole  of  these  subjects 
could  not  be  undertaken  by  one  man  within  the  ordinary  span  of  existence. 

As  an  art  or  science  comes  to  be  more  fully  known  and  the  volume  of  its  precedent     Specializa- 
increases,    its    adherents    find    it    necessary    to    specialize    and    devote    themselves    to    one     tion. 
portion  of  the  subject,  leaving  the  development  of  other  branches  to  their  confreres,  each 
specialist  sharing  in  the  advance  made  by  others  and  contributing  to  the  general  progress 
of   the   science   as   a   whole. 

*  "Topographical  Architecture"  would  probably  be  a  term  less  liable  to  be  misunderstood. 


THE  PRACTICE    OF    GARDEN    DESIGN. 

This  is  particularly  so  in  the  science  of  those  arts  which  minister  more  or  less 
directly  to  the  conveniences  and  necessities  of  modern  life  with  its  ever-growing  com- 
plexities and  luxuries.  It  is  not  surprising  therefore  that,  in  the  creation  of  that 
portion  of  our  material  environment  which  we  call  architecture,  this  specialistic  tendency 
should  be  particularly  marked,  for  in  recent  years  the  whole  art  has  advanced  in  such  a 
manner  that  to  keep  abreast  of  all  its  manifold  activities  is  an  impossible  task  for  the 
individual  student. 

Unfortunately,  there  is  sometimes  the  danger  that,  in  this  inevitable  subdivision  of 
labour,  there  may  be  a  neglect  of  the  art  in  the  elaboration  of  its  parts.  Thus,  in 
architecture,  which  depends  for  its  success  more  than  any  other  art  upon  correct  staging, 
we  are  rapidly  awakening  to  the  fact  that,  in  the  study  of  individual  buildings,  we  have 
neglected  the  greater  and  broader  subject  of  Landscape  Architecture,  without  which, 
effort  spent  on  the  design  of  detached  units  can  never  have  its  full  fruition. 

We  have  looked  upon  each  unit  in  the  composition  too  much  as  an  entity  in  itself 
and  too  little  as  a  component  part  of  a  larger  scheme,  and,  not  until  we  can  conceive 
of  the  individual  creation  in  its  dual  capacity,  first  as  a  fitting  subject  for  the  exercise 
of  creative  design  in  itself,  and  secondly  as  but  a  factor  in  a  much  broader  scheme 
which,  taking  it  as  it  stands,  as  un  fait  accompli,  will  deal  with  it  in  its  relationship  to 
many  varying  factors,  can  the  architecture  of  this  country  reach  its  highest  development. 
The  Scheme  ^his  *s  wnere  architecture,  and  especially  domestic  architecture,  must  begin — this  is 

as  a  unit.  where  the  Landscape  Architect  must  find  his  inspiration — and  it  is  because  of  an  awaken- 
ing consciousness  to  this  great  truth  that  we  find  growing  up  a  school  of  designers  who 
are  making  the  planning  and  design  of  gardens  and  the  staging  of  architecture  their 
special  province. 

But,  it  may  be  objected,  it  is  impossible  to  conceive  of  any  building  apart  from  its 
site  and  therefore  design  and  staging  cannot  be  dealt  with  separately  by  the  domestic 
and  landscape  architects.  While  it  is  true  that  environment  will  influence  the  least 
responsive  designer  so  far  as  the  design  of  his  particular  unit  is  concerned,  it  is  only 
the  influence  of  immediate  surroundings  on  the  unit,  and  that  very  partially,  which  he 
realizes  ;  the  greater  possibilities  contained  in  the  opposite  view,  the  relation  of  the  unit 
to  its  surroundings,  are  entirely  neglected. 

That  the  need  of  a  master  hand  to  correlate  and  co-ordinate  scattered  units  should 
ever  have  been  lost  sight  of  is  due,  not  so  much  to  egotism  on  the  part  of  those  in 
charge  of  the  various  sections  of  the  subject,  as  to  the  lack  of  adequate  representation 
from  which  Landscape  Architecture  has  suffered  ;  the  lack,  that  is,  of  a  strong  man  to 
fill  the  post  and  worthily  uphold  the  traditions  of  his  office.  The  process  of  decadence 
has  been  traced,  in  the  last  chapter,  from  the  days  of  "  Capability  Brown,"  who,  by 
turning  his  back  on  creative  design  to  caricature  Nature,  destroyed  the  very  root-founda- 
tions of  his  art,  and  thus  opened  the  way  for  a  host  of  followers  who,  knowing  nothing 
of  creative  design  and  caring  less,  conceived  the  whole  subject  to  be  a  happy  field  for 
laisse-faire,  in  which  there  can  be  no  sense  of  constructive  beauty  and,  at  best,  but  an 
attempt  to  instruct  Nature  in  her  own  unapproachable  sphere. 

It  is  thus  that  the  term  "  Landscape  Architecture,"  as  usually  understood,  conveys 
nothing  more  to  the  mind  than  a  slight  and  partial  infusion  of  colour,  neatness  and 
prettiness,  a  smoothed-out,  drilled  and  marshalled  effect,  superimposed  as  a  veneer  over 
the  area  treated,  or  an  artificial  improvement  of  that  order  which  pervades  all  Nature. 

It  is  not,  however,  to  the  discredit  of  this,  or  of  any  other  branch  of  art,  that  its 
essential  elements  are  not  obvious,  or  that,  as  a  science,  it  needs  study  for  its  apprecia- 
tion, and  the  very  fact  that  it  is  misunderstood  or  even  despised  by  the  ordinary  person 
only  attests  its  reality  and  intrinsic  worth.  Though  he  applauds  when  a  noble  result 
is  attained,  he  can  never  understand  the  architect's  intentions  or  share  his  vision.  Again, 

16 


FIG.     7. — RENAISSANCE     GARDEN     AT     MENTMORE. 


FIG.     8.— EARLY     VICTORIAN     FLOWER     GARDEN     AT     BROUGHTON     CASTLE. 


THE    PRACTICE    OF    GARDEN    DESIGN. 


The  Re- 
naissance 
of  the  Art. 


The  train- 
ing of  the 
Landscape 
Architect. 


while  he  is  content  with  those  adornments  which  are  curious  or  novel,  or  have  the  sanc- 
tion of  fashion,  viewing  them  as  isolated  features  and  never  as  a  part  of  an  artistic 
composition,  the  intelligent  and  educated  observer  must  have,  first  of  all,  a  clear  impres- 
sion of  the  fundamental  principles  underljdng  the  art,  and  resulting  in  a  self-contained 
and  co-ordinated  entity  embracing  within  itself  all  the  necessary  parts  of  the  scheme, 
giving  to  each  its  proper  place  and  necessary  emphasis  as  a  part  of  a  well-balanced  whole. 

Far  too  long  has  the  whole  art  been  the  sport  of  changing  fashion  and  uninformed 
public  taste  and  the  prey  of  a  spurious  dilettantism  which,  by  its  vagaries,  its  sham 
ruins,  its  miniature  Alps  and  impossible  vistas,  has  reduced  it  to  utter  absurdity. 

With  the  domestic  architect  on  the  one  hand  viewing  his  creation  as  an  isolated  unit 
to  the  exclusion  of  everything  else,  the  practical  gardener  on  the  other  trampling  under- 
foot every  canon  of  art  in  his  eager  desire  for  perfect  specimens  of  exotic  plants,  and  the 
engineer  whose  sole  idea  of  beauty  is  superadded  adornment,  things  have  fallen  to  a  very 
low  ebb  and,  unless  the  present  awakening  to  the  need  of  a  collective  effort  in  design  is 
adequately  responded  to,  the  contemporary  school  of  landscape  architecture  will  have 
only  itself  to  blame  if  its  claims  are  denied  and  its  work  and  status  taken  from  it 
and  bestowed  upon  others  who  will  more  worthily  uphold  its  traditions. 

How  then  is  the  renaissance  of  the  art  to  be  effected  ?  I  think  that  the  best  way 
to  answer  this  important  question  is  to  consider,  very  shortly,  first,  the  training  and 
requirements  of  the  landscape  architect,  and,  secondly,  the  ideal  which  should  inspire  him 
throughout  his  life-work.  The  former  will  give  us  some  insight  into  his  practical,  and 
the  latter  into  his  artistic  equipment. 

The  first  of  these  questions,  if  fully  considered,  would  involve  an  examination  of  the 
whole  syllabus  of  the  student's  training  in  landscape  architecture  ;  but,  although  this  is  a 
subject  of  great  interest,  which,  in  its  application  to  the  design  of  cities,  is  receiving 
experimental  treatment  at  Liverpool  University  at  the  present  time,  it  is  impossible,  in 
the  space  available,  to  do  more  than  to  indicate  a  few  of  the  principal  subjects  which  it 
will  be  necessary  for  him  to  master.  First  of  all  must  come  a  general  training,  which 
shall  be  framed  with  the  intention  of  inculcating  that  catholicity  of  ideas,  power  of 
concentration,  and  love  of  orderly  progression  and  logical  sequence  which  are  best  attained 
by  an  all-round  classical  education,  the  fruits  of  which  find  their  use  and  expression  in 
every  walk  of  life,  and  which  will  be  particularly  appreciated  in  work  which  consists 
primarily  in  the  welding  of  component  parts  into  a  balanced  whole.  On  this  foundation 
must  be  built  a  knowledge  in  the  round  of,  and  sympathetic  interest  in,  not  only  every 
branch  of  architecture,  but  also  in  arboriculture,  forestry,  engineering  and  many  other 
most  divergent  sciences  which  all  go  towards  the  making  of  a  city  or  the  embellishment 
of  its  parts. 

It  is  not  of  course  necessary,  or  indeed  possible,  that  the  Landscape  Architect 
should  possess  such  an  intimate  knowledge  of  the  minutiae  of  all  these  professions  that  he 
could  dispense  with  the  services  of  the  expert  in  each  department.  His  task  must  be 
very  largely  that  of  an  arbiter,  who  by  a  broad-minded  sympathy  for  the  aspirations  of 
each,  born  of  knowledge  of  the  rules  and  ideals  of  his  profession,  is  able  to  prevent  that 
multiplication  of  little  aims  and  disjointed  efforts  which  abound  in  the  average  city  or 
domain. 

Superimposed  on  this  academic  training  must  be  a  marked  natural  versatility  which 
will  enable  him  to  appreciate  the  efforts  and  the  points  of  view  of  all  the  various 
designers  or  craftsmen  of  the  component  parts  of  the  scheme,  and  so  to  give  to  each  its 
proper  place  and  correct  emphasis.  It  thus  follows  that  he  must  possess  the  jtidicial 
mind  with  the  soul  of  the  artist,  a  rare  combination,  it  is  true,  but  a  necessary  one  if 
the  confidence  of  his  fellow-workers  is  to  be  obtained  and  held,  a  condition  absolutely 
essential  to  success. 


18 


THE    PRACTICE    OF    GARDEN    DESIGN. 


Even  this  is  not  enough,  for  the  perfectly  equipped  landscape  architect  will  not  only 
have  to  deal  with  fellow- workmen,  each  trained  to  see  and  appreciate  that  which  is  good 
in  his  schemes,  but  also  with  private  clients  or  public  bodies  to  whom  his  method  of 
presenting  them  by  geometric  projection  on  paper  are  more  or  less  unintelligible,  and  his 
technical  terms  an  unknown  language.  Here  is  his  greatest  task,  for  the  Writer's  life- 
long experience  has  proved  to  him  that  there  is  nothing  more  difficult  for  the  lay  mind 
to  grasp  than  the  ultimate  effect  of  a  comprehensive  scheme  for  the  formation  of  a 
garden.  Indeed  this  could  hardly  be  otherwise  in  this  country,  where  our  habit  of 
"  muddling  through  "  great  projects  is  almost  a  national  characteristic.  More  than  once 
have  I  been  startlingly  reminded  of  this  when  dealing  with  a  client  of  Latin  and  particu- 
larly French  nationality  or  extraction,  and  have  noted  the  greatly-increased  appreciation 
for  and  grasp  of  the  ultimate  result  as  a  whole,  and  not  in  compartments  and  sections, 
which  such  persons  have  shown,  and  this  without  for  a  moment  losing  sight  of  the 
necessity  for  the  careful  consideration  of  minutiae.  We  have  only  to  compare  French  and 
English  cities  and  to  note  the  continuity  of  effort  on  the  one  hand  and  its  utter  absence 
on  the  other  to  realize  this. 

While  the  classic  examples  of  garden  design,  of  which  this  country  has  so  many,  are 
undoubtedly  incomparably  beautiful,  it  is  unfortunately  true  that  the  garden,  as  a 
means  of  serious  art  expression,  would  never  seem  to  have  presented  itself  to  the  minds 
of  most  people  in  this  country.  Notwithstanding  the  grandeur  of  the  old  Italian  pleas- 
aunces,  the  stately  magnificence  of  the  gardens  of  Paris  and  the  more  rural  beauty  of  the 
English  domain,  and,  more  incredible  still,  notwithstanding  the  inexhaustible  theme  which 
the  garden  has  formed  for  the  painter,  the  poet  and  the  novelist,  the  average  Englishman 
would  seem  to  be  unable  to  see  anything  more  in  it  than  a  place  where  flowers  or  trees  may  be 
grown  for  their  intrinsic  beauty  alone,  and  quite  apart  from  any  collective  effect  which  may 
be  obtained  by  the  arrangement  of  the  various  factors  composing  the  garden  as  a  whole. 

Even  if  the  isolated  features  have  individual  promise  and  interest,  which  must  be 
patent  to  everybody,  and  their  disposition  and  relative  functions  in  relation  to  one  another 
are  carefully  explained  by  precept  and  illustration,  the  ultimate  effect  is  very  rarely  grasped 
until  the  garden  is  an  accomplished  fact,  and,  even  then,  the  introduction  of  some  much- 
prized  piece  of  ornament  or  equipment  which  clashes  with  the  whole,  shows  how  little  the 
"  motif  "  of  the  design  has  been  realized  or  the  work  appreciated. 

The  successful  landscape  architect  must  be  able  not  only  to  build  up  in  his  mind's 
eye  the  whole  of  the  components  of  his  scheme  into  one  harmonious,  comprehensive 
whole,  of  which  he  is  able  to  judge  the  effect  before  the  commencement  of  the  work,  but 
he  must  also  possess  the  gift  of  being  able  to  present  his  conception  to  the  minds  of 
others  so  sympathetically  that  they  too  become  fired  with  his  enthusiasm  for  the  ideal, 
and  grasp  enough  of  the  spirit  of  his  work  to  realize  some  at  least  of  its  excellences. 

This  is  a  difficult  task,  it  is  true,  for  between  the  yearnings  of  a  mind  embued  with 
a  high  ideal  and  the  preconceptions  of  the  ordinary  mind  which  we  call  "  fashion,"  there 
is  a  gulf  fixed  which  they  who  attempt  to  bridge  over  will  earn  for  themselves  the  title 
of  "  Idealist,"  a  title  which,  though  applied  in  opprobrium,  is  really  a  confession  on  the 
part  of  the  critic  that  he  fails  to  grasp  the  practical  connections  of  the  scheme  proposed, 
and  is  not,  by  any  means,  a  proof  that  they  are  unattainable  or  non-existent. 

So  much  for  the  training  of  the  landscape  architect,  now  for  the  ideals  which  should 
influence  his  work  at  every  turn. 

We  have  already  spoken  of  the  broad  sympathy  with  the  aims  and  aspirations  of 
others  which  should  dominate  all  he  does,  and,  in  addition  to  this,  he  must  mark  his 
work  with  his  own  art  vision.  This  he  will  do  by  the  masterly  application  of  the  three 
factors  which,  for  want  of  more  expressive  terms,  I  have  designated  realism,  romanticism 
and  symbolism  (or,  should  we  say,  of  mysticism). 


Continuity 
of  effort. 


The  garden 
as  a  means 
of  serious 
art 
expression. 


Taste  and 
fashion. 


The  ideals 
of  the 
Landscape 
Architect. 


THE    PRACTICE    OF    GARDEN    DESIGN. 

What  is  meant  by  this,  may,  I  think,  be  very  shortly  illustrated  by  a  concrete 
instance.  Here  is  a  statue  of  Pan  surrounded  by  his  dancing  dryads.  Looking  at  it, 
the  intensely  practical  man,  so  dear  to  the  heart  of  the  average  Briton,  says  that,  if  it 
possesses  the  quality  of  uniqueness,  it  is  the  most  important  adornment  in  the  garden. 
He  esteems  the  work  solely  according  to  its  rarity,  and  consequently  its  commercial 
value.  The  romancist,  on  the  other  hand,  is  seen  in  the  sculptor  or  modeller,  who 
judges  it  according  to  its  artistry,  silhouette,  mass  or  detail,  and  its  relation  to  its  setting. 
He  confines  himself,  more  or  less,  to  its  visual  merit,  and,  to  him,  this  is  its  appeal. 
The  triumph  of  the  symbolist  or  mystic  is,  however,  complete.  Looking  at  the  statue, 
he  sees  things  to  others  invisible,  hears,  in  the  far-off  pine-wood,  the  music  of  Pan's 
pipes  at  mid-day.  All  else  is  secondary,  and  he  yearns,  through  the  medium  of  his  art, 
to  translate  his  vision  to  the  understanding  of  others. 

This  is  his  province,  to  infuse  the  drab  necessities  of  existence  with  an  inherent 
beauty,  to  divert  the  common  crowd  from  low  ideals  by  the  elevation  of  their  environ- 
ment, and  to  cause  those  who  never  really  loved  art  and  who  resent  it  as  a  departure 
from  their  own  level  of  mediocrity,  to  rise  to  more  worthy  aims.  Filled  with  a  right 
conception  of  the  dignity  of  his  art,  and  fired  with  a  great  desire  for  its  advancement, 
he  expresses  out  of  his  own  soul  his  passion,  and  persuades  his  audience  to  see  what  he 
chooses  by  materializing  his  dream,  using,  as  a  medium  to  this  end,  architecture,  verdure, 
flowers,  and  the  other  materials  of  his  craft,  weaving  the  whole  into  one  rhythmic, 
harmonious  composition. 

The  Landscape  Architect  who  can  do  this,  who  has  the  soul  of  the  artist  combined 
with  practical  acumen  and  technical  ability,  cannot  fail  to  achieve  the  highest  that  is 
humanly  possible — to  leave  the  World  a  little  richer  than  he  found  it.  Such  men  must, 
of  course,  be  rare,  for  it  is  a  combination  the  prerogative  of  the  highest  genius.  Never- 
theless it  is  the  ideal  to  be  aimed  at  by  every  man  in  the  profession  and,  even  though  he 
only  partially  realizes  his  aim,  in  so  far  as  he  is  successful,  his  work  will  attain  to 
immortality  and  the  fining  hand  of  time,  which  destroys  ruthlessly  the  meretricious  and 
hardly  conserves  that  which  is  best  fit  to  endure,  will  shew  that  his  work  is  worthy. 

We  thus  see  what  an  opportunity,  and,  at  the  same  time,  what  a  responsibility,  lie 
before  the  Landscape  Architect  of  to-day  if  he  is  to  maintain  worthily  the  great  traditions 
of  garden  design  handed  down  to  him  by  the  garden  makers  of  the  past,  and  adequately 
to  grasp  the  opportunities  which  the  rise  of  a  more  discerning  public  has  provided  him 
with.  It  is  with  this  opportunity  and  this  responsibility  in  mind  that  we  approach,  in 
the  next  and  subsequent  chapters,  the  practical  details  of  garden  design,  and  it  will  be 
our  endeavour  to  show  how  they  may  be  rescued  from  the  pettiness  and  meannesses 
which  have  done  so  much  to  degrade  the  art  of  recent  years,  and  how  landscape  archi- 
tecture may  be  raised  to  its  proper  place  as  mistress  of  the  liberal  professions  as  practised 
in  this  country. 


20 


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IffflE  CHOICE  j 


REATMENT 


Choice  of 
a  locality. 


CHAPTER    III. 

In  dealing  with  the  subject  of  this  chapter,  the  choice  of  a  site  for  a  new  domain 
and  the  endeavour  to  develop  it  on  the  best  possible  lines  both  artistically  and  practi- 
cally, the  writer  ventures  to  think  that  we  cannot  do  better  than  follow  the  prospective 
owner  of  a  typical  country  residence  through  the  whole  process  of  choice  and  develop- 
ment, culling  such  lessons  for  future  application  as  may  be  of  general  use. 

The  choice  of  a  locality  in  which  to  build  is  naturally  the  first  consideration,  though 
in  most  instances  there  are  factors  connected  with  the  business  and  health  of  the  owner 
which  will  considerably  narrow  the  question,  and  in  any  case  it  would  be  quite  beyond 
the  scope  of  this  work  to  do  more  than  to  touch  upon  the  climatic  and  hygienic  advantages 
and  disadvantages  of  the  different  portions  of  our  Island. 

There  are  great  differences  in  climate  and  atmosphere  in  various  parts  of  Britain 
and  even  of  the  sea-board.  The  West  coast,  swept  by  the  Atlantic  breezes,  tempered 
by  the  moist,  warm  air  of  the  Gulf  Stream,  is  more  genial,  if  less  bracing,  than  the  East 
Coast,  which  is  swept  by  the  dry  winds  that  cross  the  German  Ocean,  and  from  the 
same  cause,  the  rainfall  is  much  greater  in  the  West  than  in  the  East.  This  is,  however, 
to  some  extent  compensated  for  by  the  mountainous  surface  and  impervious  subsoil  on 
the  West  coast,  which  causes  the  water  to  flow  away  quickly  from  the  higher  portions 
of  the  land.  The  broken  outline  of  the  North-western  coast  again  speaks  eloquently 
of  the  violence  of  the  stern  "  nor'- westers,"  though  the  resulting  rugged  picturesqueness 
may  be  sufficient  recompense  in  the  minds  of  some  persons.  The  South  coast,  if  we 
except  the  stormy  extremities  of  Kent  and  Cornwall,  provides  throughout  a  genial  and 
equable  Winter  resort,  though  undoubtedly  somewhat  relaxing  in  the  Summer. 

Other  factors,  however,  modify  or  even  reverse  these  primary  climatic  and  atmo- 
spheric distinctions.  Thus  the  lie  of  the  land,  its  general  contours,  its  altitude  with 
reference  to  its  surroundings,  the  dispositions  of  surrounding  hills  or  mountains,  the 
proximity  and  placing  of  woods  and  forests,  the  presence  of  a  large  lake  all  have  a 
very  marked  influence. 

It  cannot  be  too  clearly  pointed  out  that  mere  altitude,  reckoned,  say,  above  the  sea  level,  Altitude. 
is  of  no  value  whatever.  What  is  important  is  the  height  in  comparison  with  its  surround- 
ings. For  instance,  a  site  which  is  five  hundred  feet  above  sea  level,  but  in  the  bottom 
of  a  mountain  valley  where  the  sun  rarely  penetrates,  may  be  depressing,  while  another  on 
the  sea  coast,  which  is  only  twenty  feet  above  high-water  mark,  may  be  bracing  in  the 
extreme.  The  same  factors  regulate  the  frequency  of  or  immunity  from  fog.  Mists 
always  tend  to  hang  in  a  valley,  even  though  a  thousand  feet  above  sea  level,  which 
can  easily  be  seen  by  visiting  a  hilly  district  in  foggy  weather  and  climbing  the  highest 
hill,  when  the  top  will  often  be  found  to  be  bathed  in  sunshine  and  the  fog  to  lie  at  the 


THE    CHOICE    OF    A    SITE    AND    ITS    TREATMENT. 


Subsoil. 


Business 
and  social 
require- 
ments. 


beholder's  feet  like  an  inland  sea,  the  tops  of  neighbouring  hills  peering  above  it  like  so  many 
islands.  On  the  other  hand,  to  choose  a  site  at  an  exceptional  altitude  on  a  mountain 
side  might  result  in  its  being  submerged  in  low-lying  cloud  almost  every  morning  and 
evening.  The  site  which  will  be  found  to  be  freest  from  such  visitations  is  one  on  a 
Southern  slope  which  forms  no  part  of  a  natural  basin. 

Another  important  factor  which  should  be  considered  by  those  persons  fortunate 
enough  to  be  able  to  choose  a  site  over  a  large  area,  is  the  nature  of  the  subsoil.  One 
that  is  pervious,  such  as  those  composed  of  gravel,  sand  or  marl,  is  healthier  than  one 
which  tends  to  become  waterlogged  in  wet  weather  or  is  composed  of  stiff  retentive 
clay.  The  porous  soil,  however,  may  become  a  source  of  danger  through  the  facility 
with  which  poisonous  matter  from  stables,  cesspools  or  defective  drains,  can  percolate 
through  it  and  contaminate  the  water  supply,  or  give  off  noxious  gases  into  living  rooms, 
unless  this  is  guarded  against. 

It  has  been  maintained  that  a  loamy  clay  subsoil  is  preferable  to  a  sandy  or  gravelly 
one,  as  the  former  is  a  slower  conductor  of  heat,  thereby  maintaining  a  more  even 
temperature  ;  but  this  is  not  so,  for  every  sudden  change  of  temperature  will  be  followed 
by  dampness  in  the  stratum  of  air  next  to  the  ground.  It  is  also  said  that,  in  fully 
inhabited  districts  where  efficient  drainage  is  enforced,  no  inconvenience  need  arise  from 
building  on  clay  if  the  foundations  are  overspread  with  concrete  and  the  walls  damp- 
proofed.  While  it  is  true  that  the  dangers  of  a  water-retaining  soil  may  be  very  much 
reduced  and  even  almost  negatived  by  such  means,  it  still  remains  that  "  prevention 
is  better  than  cure  "  and  that,  where  possible,  health  and  comfort  will  be  always  best 
served  by  the  choice  of  an  elevated  site  on  a  porous  subsoil,  which  is  known  to  lessen 
the  tendency  to  diseases  such  as  tuberculosis,  asthma,  rheumatism,  ague  and  kindred  ills 
fostered  by  dampness. 

This  class  of  site  has  also  distinct  advantages  when  we  come  to  make  the  garden. 
Not  only  is  a  light  soil  cheaper  and  easier  to  move  in  levelling  the  terraces  and  lawns, 
but,  although  much  can  be  done  to  improve  a  very  heavy  soil,  apart  from  the  rose 
garden,  one  which  is  fairly  light  is  preferable,  especially  for  lawns.  The  paths,  too,  on 
clay  land  are  apt  to  be  greasy  and  disagreeable  in  wet  weather,  and  the  soil  of  the  beds 
either  very  sticky  or  baked  like  a  brick. 

The  elevated  site  too  has  its  advantages  from  the  gardener's  point  of  view,  not  only 
because  it  will  be  more  sunny,  but  because,  being  naturally  drier,  plants  will  not  be  so 
easily  affected  by  frost,  which  always  attacks  newly  planted  shrubs  in  the  bottom  of 
a  valley  long  before  those  higher  up  are  affected,  and,  incredible  though  it  may  appear, 
many  varieties  of  trees,  shrubs  and  plants  luxuriate  in  an  elevated  position  which  would 
not  grow  on  lower  ground. 

There  remain  the  questions  of  water  supply  and  sewage  disposal,  the  former  being 
a  matter  which,  strange  to  say,  the  author  has  more  than  once  found  to  have  been 
totally  neglected  until  the  site  has  been  purchased  and  even  built  upon. 

Having  settled  these  absolutely  essential  hygienic  requirements,  there  are  many 
other  questions  arising  out  of  the  prospective  owner's  business  or  social  relations,  his 
personal  preferences  and  those  individual  idiosyncrasies  which,  while  they  are  quite 
unexplainable  on  medical  grounds,  make  surroundings  which  are  healthy  for  most 
persons  quite  unsuitable  to  the  person  subject  to  them. 

With  regard  to  our  prospective  owner's  business  relations,  we  shall  be  stating  the 
case  of  a  very  large  number  of  builders  of  new  residences  if  we  imagine  him  compelled 
to  build  within  easy  reach  of  his  place  of  business  but  wishing  to  obtain  a  site  where 
his  growing  family  will  obtain  all  the  advantages  of  rural  surroundings  and  healthy 
country  air,  and  large  enough  to  allow  him  to  indulge  a  bent  for  gardening,  arbori- 
culture, model  farming,  or  other  rural  pursuits,  such  as  can  be  dealt  with  within  the 


24 


THE    CHOICE    OF    A    SITE    AND    ITS    TREATMENT. 

limits   of   a   few    acres   of   land.     He    will   also    desire  to   be   within   reasonably  easy  reach 
of  a  fairly  efficient  shopping  centre   such  as  that  provided  by  a  county  or  market  town. 

This   question   of   accessibility   has  been   greatly   altered   by   the   advent  of   the  motor     Accessi- 
car.      Whereas,    formerly,    a   mile    or   a   mile   and   a   half   was  about   the   limit   which   the     bility. 
business  man  was   prepared   to  go  morning  and  evening  in  all  weathers  to    and   from  the 
station,  nowadays  there  are   hundreds  of  instances   where   the  same  men  travel  from  five 
to  ten  miles,  and  that  with  as  little  trouble.     This,  coupled  with  the  steady  and  continu- 
ous improvement  which  is  going   on  in  the  train  services  for  business  men,  has  opened  up 
a    very    extended  radius    for    choice  of   residence  and  has  saved  many  an  old  Elizabethan 
farm   or  manor   house   or   obsolete   coaching   inn   from   destruction   and   decay. 

In  other  cases,  the  proximity  of  one  of  the  large  hunts,  a  yachting  centre,  a  re- 
nowned golf  course  or  other  facilities  for  country  sports,  may  take  the  place  of  business 
requirements. 

Personal  preferences  will  differ  very  much  and  are  often  a  little  bewildering  to  the  Personal 
architect.  It  is  quite  exceptional  for  two  persons  to  have  the  same  ideas  as  to  the  value  Preferences. 
of  a  site,  the  conditions  which  appear  desirable  to  one  being  often  wholly  objectionable  to 
another.  One  person  prefers  to  look  on  his  neighbour's  house,  and  feels  more  sociable 
thereby,  while  another  prefers  to  be  so  entirely  isolated  that  even  his  estate  cottages  must 
be  placed  out  of  sight  and  sound.  Most  people  are,  however,  agreed  on  the  desirability 
of  pure  air  and  a  sunny  situation,  the  best  from  the  latter  point  of  view  being  one 
which  slopes  towards  a  point  a  little  East  of  South,  while  the  worst  is  that  which  slopes 
towards  the  North-west,  and  in  nearly  every  instance  extensive  or  beautiful  views  are 
courted,  and  the  presence  of  well-grown  timber  or  hedge  rows  with  young  timber  trees  is 
considered  desirable.  A  house  built  on  a  treeless  field,  especially  on  an  elevated  site, 
appears  unsociable,  whereas  a  few  well  established  trees  serve,  in  a  way,  to  link  the  present 
with  the  past  and  help  the  new  architecture  to  blend  with  the  landscape. 

When  all  the  factors  discussed,  hygienic,  commercial,  social,  artistic,  geographical,  and 
personal,  have  been  applied  to  those  sites  of  about  the  area  required  which  are  available, 
it  will  generally  be  found  that  the  choice  is  very  narrow  indeed,  and  probably  the 
question  will  largely  decide  itself  by  the  pre-eminent  suitability  of  one  particular  plot, 
though,  even  when  the  best  has  been  done,  the  result  will  partake  of  the  nature  of  a 
compromise,  and  many  difficult  problems  will  be  left  for  consideration  as  the  work  of 
development  proceeds. 

We  may  imagine,    then,   that   our  prospective  owner   has  now  made  up  his  mind.     To     A  typical 
carry  the  subject  further  and  show  how  the  site  which  he  has  chosen  should  be  treated,     s^e. 
we  have  taken  from   the  ordnance  map  the  parcel  of  ground  shown  in  illustration  No.  10. 
In   extent,    shape    and    contours,    it    is    suitable   for   a    moderate-sized   residence,    and   very 
typical   of    the   class   of   site   we   have   been   discussing  but   at    the    same    time    distinctive 
enough    in    its    general    characteristics    to    prevent    its    being    treated    in    any    stereotyped 
manner.     The    site,   nine    acres  in   extent,   is   such   as  might    be    found    in   most   hilly  dis- 
tricts, especially  in  Westmorland,  the  county  in  which  it   is   situated.     It  has  been  slightly 
altered    to   conceal   its    actual   identity,    but    the    alterations    are   not   such   as   in  any  way 
to  affect   its   use  for  the  present  purpose. 

A  farmstead  with  numerous  outbuildings  formerly  occupied  a  level  site  indicated  on  ns  aspect 
the  plan  in  the  largest  of  the  six  fields  which,  with  the  two  plantations  of  well-grown 
timber  in  good  condition  and  the  two  coppices  to  the  South  and  East,  make  up  the  nine 
acres.  All  are  fenced  with  the  rough  stone  walls  characteristic  of  the  district.  The 
appearance  of  the  plantations  suggests  that  they  may  be  the  remains  of  a  general  clearing, 
the  whole  nine  acres,  with  the  exception  of  a  portion  of  the  lower  field,  being  formerly 
covered  with  timber  or  coppice  wood.  The  general  fall  of  the  land  is  to  the  South- 
east and  a  tumbling  stream  enters  the  ground  near  the  North-west  corner  and  passes  to 


THE    CHOICE    OF    A    SITE    AND    ITS    TREATMENT. 


nn 

taix-      H  Iff  Km 
B  rant  iinkfl 


Pack  -Road 


FIG.    II. — PLAN    SHOWING    MANSION    AND  ADMINISTRATIVE  BUILDINGS    GROUPED    FOR 

COMPOSITE   EFFECT. 


Lower    Portion,     Shewing    Yew  *  Walk     and    Lake 


^43 


FIG.   12. — SECTION  THROUGH  GROUNDS  TO  A  COUNTRY  HOUSE. 


28 


THE    CHOICE    OF    A    SITE    AND    ITS    TREATMENT. 

placing  the  house  on  the  site,  for  while  the  landscape  architect  will  wish  to  compose  the 
whole  subject  with  the  dominating  feature,  this  is  useless  without  the  aid  of  the  domestic 
architect  in  the  placing  and  arrangement  of  the  chief  entrance  door  and  the  windows  to 
the  leading  rooms.  If  the  house  is  to  be  complementary  to  its  setting,  its  arrangements 
must,  in  a  great  measure,  be  ruled  by  the  design  of  the  latter,  and  its  architectural 
details  be  conceived  in  the  same  spirit.  There  is  room  for  hearty  co-operation  also 
in  the  disposition  of  the  service  buildings,  for  while  the  domestic  architect  designs 
the  culinary  offices,  the  landscape  architect  places  and  arranges  the  kitchen  garden,  and 
efficiency  demands  that  they  shall  be  reciprocally  planned;  and  the  same  principle 
applies  to  every  other  feature. 

Considered  from  the  landscape  architect's  standpoint,  the  chief  essential  of  the  plan- 
ning of  the  house  and  its  dependent  buildings  is  that  they  shall  be  grouped  so  as  to 
provide  the  most  economical  and  practical  arrangement  which  will  cause  the  smallest 
amount  of  unremunerative  labour  and  running  to  and  fro.  The  logical  deduction  from 
this  statement  is  that  the  whole  —  mansion,  stables,  lodges,  laundry,  garage,  and  outbuildings 
—should  be  designed  as  parts  of  one  block,  and  that  this  can  be  done  without  disfiguring 
the  mansion  or  destroying  its  privacy  will  be  seen  from  illustration  No.  n,  which  shows 
the  plan  of  the  house  and  administrative  annex  as  designed  to  suit  the  particular  plot 
of  ground  we  have  been  discussing. 

In  recent   years,   there  has  been   a    tendency   to   detach   the    stables   and  laundry   and     Centraliza- 
as    many    other    buildings    as    possible    from    the    main   block,    the    stables   being   in    one     tion  in 
place,  the  laundry  in  another,  the  kitchen  garden  in  another,  and  the  workmen's  cottages     planning. 
away   from    the   place   altogether,    with    consequent    waste    of     time     as    well    as    lack    of 
composite   architectural   effect.      Doubtless    this   state  of  things  has,  in   the  past,   had    its 
raison   d'etre    in    hygienic    considerations,  but   the   high  position   to  which   sanitary   science 
has   now   attained   removes   all   objections   not   of    an   entirely  sentimental   nature. 

Having   thus    disposed    the    principal    buildings    on    the    ground  in    collaboration    with     The 
the    domestic    architect,    we    may    now    proceed    to    arrange    the    surroundings;   but    before     question  of 
doing   so  it  is  necessary  that   we   should   study   the  question    of   upkeep.      Owners  of  new     upkeep. 
places  very  properly   give  careful   consideration  to  the   question   of  the  cost   of   the   form- 
ation   of    their   gardens,   but   how    few    give    any    thought    at    the   time   to    the   still   more 
important   question   of  annual   maintenance.      We    will    suppose,   therefore,  that  the   owner 
of    the    plot    we    have    under    consideration    desires    to    limit    the  amount    devoted  to   the 
annual    upkeep    of    the    grounds    to   £350  :  o  :  o.     In   such   a  case    we    must    so    arrange 
our  plan   as  to  limit  the  expenditure   as  follows  :  — 


Head   Gardener   30/-   per   week   with  cottage                              Per   annum 

Second  gardener  22/-         do.         do.  do. 

Two  garden  labourers  i8/-            do.  do. 

Strong   youth   io/- 

Seedsman's  account  for  seeds,  bulbs  and   sundries 

Nurseryman's  account  for  fruit-trees,  shrubs  for  making  up,   etc. 

Coke  and  coal  for  heating,  peat,  loam,  silver  sand,   etc. 

Sundry  expenses 

Balance 


£350    oo* 


*  Nothing  is  allowed  in  this  statement  for  interest  on  money  sunk  in  lodges  and  cottages  inhabited  by 
gardeners,  as  the  exact  proportion  of  this  to  be  credited  would  be  difficult  to  apportion  and  would  vary  in 
each  case. 


£ 

s. 

d. 

.  78 

o 

o 

57 

4 

o 

93 

12 

o 

26 

O 

o 

22 

O 

0 

i8 

0 

o 

35 

0 

0 

16 

IO 

o 

3 

14 

0 

29 


THE    CHOICE    OF    A    SITE    AND    ITS    TREATMENT. 


FIG.    II. — PLAN    SHOWING    MANSION    AND  ADMINISTRATIVE  BUILDINGS    GROUPED    FOR 

COMPOSITE   EFFECT. 


Lower    Portion,     Shewing    Yew=VaIK     and    Lake 


FIG.      12. — SECTION     THROUGH     GROUNDS     TO     A     COUNTRY     HOUSE. 


28 


THE    CHOICE    OF    A    SITE    AND    ITS    TREATMENT. 


placing  the  house  on  the  site,  for  while  the  landscape  architect  will  wish  to  compose  the 
whole  subject  with  the  dominating  feature,  this  is  useless  without  the  aid  of  the  domestic 
architect  in  the  placing  and  arrangement  of  the  chief  entrance  door  and  the  windows  to 
the  leading  rooms.  If  the  house  is  to  be  complementary  to  its  setting,  its  arrangements 
must,  in  a  great  measure,  be  ruled  by  the  design  of  the  latter,  and  its  architectural 
details  be  conceived  in  the  same  spirit.  There  is  room  for  hearty  co-operation  also 
in  the  disposition  of  the  service  buildings,  for  while  the  domestic  architect  designs 
the  culinary  offices,  the  landscape  architect  places  and  arranges  the  kitchen  garden,  and 
efficiency  demands  that  they  shall  be  reciprocally  planned;  and  the  same  principle 
applies  to  every  other  feature. 

Considered  from  the  landscape  architect's  standpoint,  the  chief  essential  of  the  plan- 
ning of  the  house  and  its  dependent  buildings  is  that  they  shall  be  grouped  so  as  to 
provide  the  most  economical  and  practical  arrangement  which  will  cause  the  smallest 
amount  of  unremunerative  labour  and  running  to  and  fro.  The  logical  deduction  from 
this  statement  is  that  the  whole  —  mansion,  stables,  lodges,  laundry,  garage,  and  outbuildings 
—should  be  designed  as  parts  of  one  block,  and  that  this  can  be  done  without  disfiguring 
the  mansion  or  destroying  its  privacy  will  be  seen  from  illustration  No.  u,  which  shows 
the  plan  of  the  house  and  administrative  annex  as  designed  to  suit  the  particular  plot 
of  ground  we  have  been  discussing. 

In  recent   years,   there   has  been   a   tendency   to   detach   the    stables   and  laundry   and     Centraliza- 
as    many    other    buildings    as    possible    from    the    main   block,    the    stables    being   in    one     tion  in 
place,  the  laundry  in  another,  the  kitchen  garden  in  another,  and  the  workmen's  cottages     planning. 
away   from    the   place   altogether,    with    consequent    waste    of     time     as    well    as    lack    of 
composite  architectural   effect.      Doubtless    this   state  of  things  has,   in   the  past,   had    its 
raison   d'etre    in    hygienic    considerations,  but   the   high  position   to  which   sanitary   science 
has   now   attained   removes   all   objections   not   of   an   entirely   sentimental   nature. 

Having   thus    disposed    the    principal    buildings    on    the    ground  in    collaboration    with     The 
the    domestic    architect,    we    may    now    proceed    to    arrange    the    surroundings;   but    before     question  of 
doing   so  it  is  necessary  that   we  should   study   the  question    of   upkeep.      Owners  of  new     upkeep. 
places  very  properly   give  careful  consideration   to  the   question   of  the   cost   of  the   form- 
ation   of   their   gardens,   but    how    few    give    any    thought    at    the   time   to   the    still   more 
important   question   of  annual  maintenance.      We    will    suppose,   therefore,  that  the  owner 
of    the    plot    we    have    under    consideration    desires    to    limit    the  amount    devoted  to   the 
annual    upkeep    of    the    grounds    to   £350  :  o  :  o.     In   such   a   case    we    must    so    arrange 
our  plan  as   to  limit  the  expenditure   as  follows  :  — 


£   s.    d. 

Per   annum     78     o     o 

••  57  4  o 
. .  93  12  o 
. .  26  o  o 

22      O      O 

. .     1800 
•  •     35     o     o 
16100 
3  14    o 

£350     oo* 

*  Nothing  is  allowed  in  this  statement  for  interest  on  money  sunk  in  lodges  and  cottages  inhabited  by 
gardeners,  as  the  exact  proportion  of  this  to  be  credited  would  be  difficult  to  apportion  and  would  vary  in 
each  case. 


Head   Gardener   3O/-   per   week   with   cottage 

Second  gardener  22/-         do.         do.         do. 

Two  garden  labourers  i8/-  do.         do. 

Strong   youth   io/- 

Seedsman's  account  for  seeds,  bulbs   and   sundries 

Nurseryman's  account  for  fruit-trees,   shrubs  for  making  up,   etc. 

Coke  and  coal  for  heating,  peat,  loam,  silver  sand,   etc. 

Sundry  expenses 

Balance 


THE    CHOICE    OF    A    SITE    AND    ITS    TREATMENT. 


Extent  of 
grounds  and 
proportion 
of  their 
parts. 


The  indi- 
viduality of 
the  site  to  be 
preserved. 


Of  course  the  items  will  vary  somewhat  in  different  years,  but  the  total  can  be 
kept  fairly  constant  by  so  laying  out  the  grounds  as  to  limit  the  amount  of  bedding  out 
or  other  features  which  entail  a  great  deal  of  extra  work.  An  incoherently  planned 
garden  entails  more  work  than  one  artistically  designed.  Broad  level  stretches  of  lawn, 
with  a  few  quaint  box-edged  flower-beds  filled  with  old-fashioned  perennials,  require  much 
less  expenditure  of  labour  than  undulating  slopes  of  grass  cut  up  by  tortuous  walks  and 
shrubberies  laid  out  in  exaggerated  curves. 

Other  practical  matters  influencing  the  ultimate  design  must  be  considered  at  this 
point.  The  first  is  the  scale  and  extent  of  the  grounds  and  the  relative  proportion  of 
the  various  parts.  With  regard  to  their  scale  and  extent,  after  the  question  of  cost, 
the  size  and  importance  of  the  mansion,  together  with  the  social  status  of  the  owner, 
will  be  determining  factors,  while  the  size  of  his  establishment  will  decide  the  extent  of 
the  kitchen  garden,  orchards,  laundry  greens  and  other  more  utilitarian  features  ;  and  the 
ages  and  interests  of  the  members  of  his  family  and  the  amount  of  entertaining  he 
proposes  to  do  will  regulate  the  number  of  tennis  or  croquet  lawns. 

These  requirements,  if  altogether  fulfilled,  take  second  rank  to  the  ideal  desideratum 
that  the  garden  should  be  a  proper  setting  to  the  house,  in  which  capacity  it  serves  the 
double  purpose  of  foreground  to  the  landscape  when  viewed  from  the  house,  and  at  the 
same  time  provides  a  base  or  setting  for  the  house  when  viewed  from  a  distance.  The 
garden  is  thus  the  link  which  connects  house  and  landscape 

Unfortunately  prospective  builders  usually  approach  the  task  of  garden  construction 
with  preconceived  ideas  as  to  what  is  desirable,  and  proceed  to  make  the  site  conform  to 
their  ideas,  instead  of  moulding  their  design  to  fit  the  site,  thus  putting  "  the  cart  before 
the  horse."  The  bane  of  modern  garden  design,  as  of  much  contemporary  art,  is  its 
inappropriateness,  objects  which  would  grace  certain  surroundings  being  obtruded  among 
others  totally  unsuitable ;  but  the  true  artist  always  gets  his  inspiration  from  Nature, 
in  this  case  from  the  site.  By  all  means  have  a  general  idea  of  your  requirements 
before  commencement,  but,  when  you  come  to  the  site,  then  begins  the  problem  which 
differs  from  all  others,  and  is  the  delight  of  the  true  architect,  who,  grouping  the 
necessary  features  conveniently  and  compactly,  at  the  same  time  adorns  them  with  an 
expressive  shape  and  form  which  accord  happily  with  the  prevalent  characteristics  of 
the  site  and  local  traditions,  using  the  ready-to-hand  local  materials  wherever  possible. 

The  late  J.  D.  Sedding  speaks  very  emphatically  on  this  point.  He  says  : — "  The 
gardener's  first  duty  in  laying  out  the  grounds  is  to  study  the  site  and  not  only  that 
part  of  it  on  which  the  house  stands  but  the  whole  site,  its  aspect,  character,  soil, 
contours,  sectional  lines,  trees,  etc.  Common  sense,  economy,  Nature  and  art  alike 
dictate  this." 

'  There  is  an  individual  character  to  every  plot  of  land  as  to  every  human  face,  and 
that  man  is  unwise  who,  to  suit  preference  for  any  given  style  of  garden,  or  with  a  view 
of  copying  a  design  from  another  place,  will  ignore  the  characteristics  of  the  site  at  his 

disposal To   leave   a   house    exposed   upon   the   landscape   unscreened   and   unterraced 

is   not   to   treat   the   site   or   house   fairly." 

Another  point  we  should  bear  in  mind  before  setting  to  work  to  develop  the  site  is 
that  a  garden  should  impress  the  spectator  as  being  a  place  for  flowers  rather  than  shrubs, 
and  should  always  have  a  cared-for  appearance.  The  arrangement,  also,  should  rather 
suggest  a  series  of  outdoor  apartments  than  a  panorama  which  can  be  grasped  in  one 
view.  Art  is  well  directed  in  arousing  curiosity,  "  always  inviting  further  exploration, 
to  be  rewarded  with  new  but  never  final  discovery."  A  garden  ought  also  to  proclaim 
itself  as  having  been  made  for  the  accommodation  and  enjoyment  of  Nature's  bountiful 
supplies. 

The    first    features  to  receive  the  attention  of  the  designer  will  be  the  entrance  drive 


THE    CHOICE    OF    A    SITE    AND    ITS    TREATMENT. 


and  service  road.  For  the  details  of  this  work  the  reader  is  referred  to  a  subsequent 
chapter.  It  is  sufficient  here  to  point  out  that,  as  already  arranged,  the  house  is  placed 
near  the  old  farmstead  on  a  natural  plateau  about  two  hundred  yards  long  from  East 
to  West  and  eighty  yards  broad,  and,  as  the  railway  station  is  about  three  miles  distant 
to  the  North-west,  the  most  convenient  position  for  the  entrance  will  be  as  shewn 
on  the  plan  (No  10).  This  demands  that  the  service  road  and  the  kitchen  garden, 
laundry  green  and  offices  should  be  to  the  North-east  of  the  main  block.  Had  the 
main  bulk  of  the  traffic  approached  from  the  opposite  direction,  and  the  entrance  there- 
fore been  placed  near  the  North-east  corner,  the  conditions  would  have  been  more 
ideal. 

The  kitchen  garden,  which  is  in  direct  communication  with  the  service  block,  is, 
with  the  surrounding  borders,  an  acre  in  extent.  It  is  surrounded  by  walls,  that  on 
the  North-east  side  being  ten  feet  six  inches  high,  built  of  the  local  stone  with  a  pro- 
jecting coping  and  with  weather  boarding  as  described  in  the  chapter  on  kitchen  gardens. 
It  has  also  wires  strained  horizontally  on  its  South-west  face  twelve  inches  apart  for  the 
training  of  fruit  trees.  The  wall  dividing  the  kitchen  garden  from  the  pleasure  grounds 
is  furnished  with  pilasters  twenty  feet  apart  to  impart  character  to  it,  and,  for  a  short 
distance  from  the  garden  house  at  the  Southernmost  corner,  wrought  iron  panels  are 
inserted  in  the  wall  to  allow  extended  views  in  this  direction.  At  this  corner  of  the 
kitchen  garden  the  ground  is  raised  on  the  outside  so  that  there  is  space  under  the 
garden  house  for  a  store  for  tools,  etc.,  with  an  opening  into  the  kitchen  garden.  The 
garden  house  and  the  wrought  iron  bays  in  the  wall  are  clearly  indicated  at  the  right- 
hand  end  of  the  lower  portion  of  the  section  (111.  No.  12).  In  order  that  the  kitchen 
garden  may  be  used  for  promenading,  as  suggested  in  a  subsequent  chapter,  a  long  walk 
is  formed  communicating  with  the  pleasure  grounds  and  forming,  at  its  Western  end, 
a  part  of  the  upper  terrace. 

Having  thus  disposed  of  the  more  utilitarian  portion  of  the  grounds,  the  pleasure 
gardens  must  now  claim  our  attention.  Here  greater  regard  must  be  paid  to  the  ex- 
isting natural  features  than  on  a  site  devoid  of  natural  beauty  and,  in  order  to  preserve 
the  coppice  woods,  the  formal  gardens  are  somewhat  smaller  than  would  otherwise  have 
been  the  case.  Apparent  extent  is,  however  obtained  by  means  of  the  very  strongly 
marked  axial  line  at  right  angles  to  the  South  front  of  the  house,  which  is  continued 
across  the  lake  by  the  garden  temple  on  the  opposite  bank,  as  may  be  seen  from  the 
plan  (No.  10),  and  which  has  necessitated  the  drawing  of  the  sections  (No.  12). 

Working  outwards  from  the  front  of  the  house  along  this  section  line,  we  must  dis- 
pose the  levels  of  the  made  ground  in  accordance  with  the  fall  of  the  land  considered 
in  conjunction  with  the  height  of  the  house  and  the  breadth  of  frontage,  being  careful 
at  the  same  time  to  allow  for  an  equal  amount  of  cutting  and  filling  so  as  just  to  use 
up  all  the  material  excavated,  and  to  arrange  so  that  very  sudden  changes  in  level 
with  consequent  engineering  feats  in  the  way  of  strong  retaining  walls  are  avoided. 

The  principal  terrace  is  approached  from  the  house  either  from  the  conservatory  or 
loggia  at  the  South-west  corner  or  the  garden  entrance  from  the  drawing  room,  which 
opens  into  the  covered  way  leading  to  the  glasshouses  in  the  kitchen  garden  (No.  n). 
It  can  also  be  reached  from  the  carriage  drive  through  a  wrought  iron  gate  in  an  arched 
opening  in  the  wall  which  divides  this  terrace  from  the  drive.  Its  width  is  forty  feet, 
which  is  made  up  as  follows.  The  border  next  to  the  house  is  seven  feet  wide,  then 
comes  seven  feet  six  inches  of  grass  which  divides  it  from  the  walk  ten  feet  across,  and 
beyond  this  there  is  fourteen  feet  of  grass  between  the  walk  and  the  wall,  the  thickness 
of  which  makes  up  the  forty  feet. 

It  is  proposed  that  the  upper  terrace  shall  be  supported  by  a  handsome  balustraded 
wall,  and  a  broad  flight  of  steps  in  the  centre  of  this  leads  down  to  the  lower  terrace 


Entrance 
drive. 


The  kitchen 
garden. 


Main  axis 
of  pleasure 
grounds. 


The 

principal 

terrace. 


31 


THE    CHOICE    OF    A    SITE    AND    ITS    TREATMENT. 


on  the  South-east  side  of  the  house,  while  another  flight  leads  to  the  tennis  lawn  on 
the  South-west.  The  latter  lawn,  with  its  surrounding  flower  borders,  forms  a  third 
terrace  constructed  to  a  level  somewhere  between  those  of  the  other  two,  and,  owing  to 
the  nature  of  the  contours,  it  is  only  possible  to  make  it  large  enough  for  one  court. 
Others  could,  if  necessary,  be  provided  on  the  open  ground  to  the  North-east  of  the 
house. 

The  lower  The  lower    terrace    is    arranged  with  a  view  to  breadth  of  effect.     It  is  intended  that 

terrace.  effective  use  shall  be  made  on  this  terrace  of  free-flowering  perennials  and    roses    to    give 

brightness  and  colour,  but 
they  will  be  concentrated  to 
prevent  a  spotty  effect  and 
also  to  emphasize  the  central 
axial  line  of  the  composition, 
leaving  the  rest  of  the  terrace 
free  for  broad,  unbroken  ex- 
panses of  lawn. 

Following  the  safe  prin- 
ciple already  enunciated,  that 
the  further  we' proceed  from 
the  house  the  freer  should 
be  the  treatment  of  the 
details  of  the  garden  scheme, 
the  retaining  wall  of  the 
lower  terrace,  instead  of 
being  finely  wrought  and 
balustraded  like  that  between 
it  and  the  higher  terrace,  is 
simpler  in  design  and  treat- 
ment, being  built  in  the  local 
random-coursed  ragstone 
with  a  plain  coping,  but,  to 
prevent  baldness,  buttresses 
are  placed  at  intervals  with 
pier  caps  and  finials  over 
them,  thus  breaking  the 
straight  line  and  helping 
the  perspective. 

Further  still  from  the 
house  the  formal  arrangement 
is  continued  by  the  walk 
down  to  the  lake,  which, 
instead  of  walls,  is  enclosed 
by  the  clipped  holly  hedges 
FIG.  13.  shown  on  the  upper  portion 

of   the  section  No.    12,  thus 

ensuring  a  still  freer  treatment,  for  however  truly  the  greenery  is  clipped,  it  can  never 
have  as  hard  a  line  as  a  wall  would. 

The  Lake.  To  dam   up    the  stream  so  as  to  restore  the  lake  to  its  original  levels  is  an  obvious 

necessity,  and  to  prevent  any  hard  break  between  the  formal  and  the  natural  in  the 
arrangement  where  the  path  from  the  house  meets  it,  a  bridge  is  suggested  connecting 
with  a  garden  temple  on  the  opposite  bank. 


LAY-OUT- OF- GARDENS 


MAE  SKLDDCB  -NEWPORT 


&  G--BREWER  -WILLIAMS-BO 


THE    CHOICE    OF    A    SITE    AND    ITS    TREATMENT. 


There  remain  only  two  other  prominent  features  for   consideration,   the  stream  and  the     The 
paddock.     The  former  is  left  much  in  its  natural  state  with  the  exception  of   the   insertion     Paddock. 
of    a  little   rockwork    such  as  that  shown  in  illustration   No.    261,   and  the  enlargement    of 
some    of   the   pools   to  accommodate  aquatic  plants.     The  paddock  is  placed  to  the   South- 
east  of  the    house   with    convenient    access    to   the    public    road    and   is    brought    into   the 
garden  scheme  by  the  arrangement  of  the  plantations  both  within  it  and  near  its  boundary. 

Of  the  planting  it  is  not  necessary  to  speak  at  length  as  the  whole  subject  is  dealt 
with  in  a  subsequent  chapter.  The  chief  points  are  to  ensure  shelter  at  one  or  two  points 
and  to  frame  and  enhance  the  existing  views  to  the  South. 


FIG.      14. 

We  have  thus  glanced  briefly  over  all  the  more  prominent  of  the  many  problems  which     j-fo  vaiue 
beset  the  prospective  owner  of  a  new  domain  in  choosing  his  site  and  deciding  the  broad  lines     Of  compact- 
on  which  it  is  to  be  developed.     Details  must  be  left  to  be  dealt  with,  each  in  its  own  separate     ness  in 
chapter.     It  is  of  course  impossible  to  illustrate  every  point  in  this  complex  undertaking  from     planning. 
one  site,  however  typical  that  one  may  be.     Thus,  the  value  of  compactness  and  agreement 
between  the  several  indoor  and  outdoor  departments  of  a  country  residence   cannot   be  over- 
estimated.    How  far  this  principle  may  be  carried  is  shown  on  the  plan  in  Illustration  No.  13, 
of  a  house  and  garden  now  in  course  of  erection  in  South  Wales.      The  site  is  a  very  elevated 
one,  with  a  slope  to  the  South-west,  though  on  the  Eastern  side  there  is  a  partly  level  stretch 
extending  to  the  highway.     As  the  house  has  been  developed  from  an  old  cottage  and   farm- 


33 


THE    CHOICE    OF    A    SITE    AND    ITS    TREATMENT. 

stead  it  will  be  seen  that  the  plan  is  almost  ideal  in  its  compactness  and  convenience  for 
economical  working. 

Exceptional  In   other   cases,    family,    social   or   commercial   interests   may   outweigh   all   other   con- 

sites.  siderations  and  lead  to  the  adoption  of  a  site  which,   though  ideal  for  a  picnic  or  excur- 

sion, does  not  possess  those  qualities  usually  sought  for  in  a  domain.  Unpromising 
beginnings,  however,  often  lead  to  the  most  interesting  results  as  may  be  seen  from  the 
gardens  shewn  in  Nos.  14  and  15.  The  first  one  is  known  as  the  Flagstaff,  Colwyn  Bay, 
and  crowns  an  eminence  which,  up  to  recent  years,  was  the  best  known  point  of 
interest  in  the  neighbourhood,  and  so  appealed  strongly  to  the  purchaser,  Walter 
Whitehead,  Esq. 


A  GARDEN  *  BUCKNGHAMSHIRE: 
a  LEVEL  COPPICE 
PLANTATION 


rHOMAS  M   MAWSON  S    SON3 
LANCASTER      LONDON 
TORONTO    t-  NEW-YORK 


FIG.      15. 

The  second  of  these  gardens  is  a  wooded  and  level  area  of  seven  acres  in  Buckingham- 
shire which  already  possessed  a  few  fine  oaks  and  has  been  planted  all  round  with  a  wide 
belt  of  trees,  of  about  thirty  years'  growth,  giving  on  all  sides  a  ragged  sea-saw  line  and 
effectually  cutting  off  any  view  of  the  open  country.  Though  flat,  the  ground  is  well 
elevated,  and,  from  a  raised  platform  erected  on  the  spot  chosen  for  the  house,  it  was 
possible  to  take  a  survey  of  the  surrounding  country,  composed  of  well-timbered  rolling  downs 
almost  entirely  free  from  buildings.  From  this  platform  radial  lines  were  drawn  on  the 
survey  plan  in  the  direction  of  the  best  views,  and  both  house  and  garden  planned  in 
relation  to  these.  This  involved  the  felling  of  a  number  of  young  trees  and  the  opening  of 
glades  which  not  only  framed  the  distant  views  but  let  a  flood  of  light  into  the  grounds. 
To  ensure  that  the  best  views  shall  be  obtained  from  the  entertaining  rooms,  the  house 
is  raised  above  the  mean  level  and  supported  by  a  terrace  wall,  the  tennis  lawns 
being  sunk  to  give  it  a  still  further  appearance  of  elevation. 


34 


FIG.     16. — GATE     PIERS     AT     VILLA     CARLOTTA. 


CHAPTER    IV. 


First 

impression 
gained  from 
style  of 
enhance. 


No  parts  of  a  scheme  for  a  residential  property  call  for  such  thoroughness  or  mature 
deliberation  as  entrances  and  carriage  courts.  Here  at  the  entrance  are  obtained  the  first 
impressions  of  the  domain,  which,  like  all  first  impressions,  either  of  a  person  or  of  any- 
thing else,  are  the  ones  which  last.  Existing  examples  present  every  gradation  from  the 
cheap  modern  over-pretentious  arrangement,  to  the  entrance  which  properly  suggests  the 
impersonal  and  dignified  charm  of  a  truly  English  home,  under  whose  subtle  spell  you 
fall  immediately  you  enter  its  precincts.  This  noble  type  of  work,  characterised  by  ample 
proportions,  and  yet  by  restraint  and  quiet  dignity,  is  what  all  true  designers  seek  to 
create,  only  to  find  that  it  is  the  most  difficult  to  achieve.  The  same  qualities  of 
orderly  restraint  and  quiet  dignity  are  essentials  of  the  forecourt,  but  here  the  opportunities 
are  greater.  A  well-considered  grouping  of  house,  stables  and  outbuildings  round  a 
sufficiently  large  space  will  usually  assure  an  aesthetic  composition  which  needs  only  a 
pair  of  piers  and  a  short  enclosing  wall  to  complete  it. 

The  design  of  an  entrance,  whether  in  the  form  of  gate-houses,  lodge-entrances  or  the 
more  simple  and  homely  arrangement  which  gives  character  to  many  a  suburban  residence, 
has  a  greater  bearing  on  the  aesthetic  qualities  of  the  residence  than  many  persons  suppose. 
It  gives  the  first  impression,  and  ought  to  provide  the  keynote  to  what  follows.  This 
keynote  should  above  all  things  be  truthful,  and  prepare  the  mind  and  eye  for  what  is 
to  follow.  For  instance,  the  classic  proportions  and  detail  shown  in  illustration  No.  17  is  a 
natural  prelude  to  the  beautiful  residence  in  the  Italian  manner  two  hundred  yards  distant. 
And  that  shown  in  the  heading  to  the  next  Chapter  equally  prepares  one  for  one  of 
those  quaint  yet  stately  Georgian  houses  of  which  one  finds  so  many  good  examples 
near  London.  Of  course  where  an  entrance  is  placed  far  away  from  the  house,  then 
the  local  note  which  accords  with  the  landscape  ought  to  be  more  pronounced. 

This  index  to  the  architectural  qualities  of  the  property  is  capable  of  much  greater 
development  than  the  mere  differentiations  between  the  entrance  to  a  ducal  domain  and 
that  to  a  mountain  lodge  or  shooting  box.  These  mark  the  two  extremes,  and  are  not 
difficult  to  attain.  Scale  and  refinement  would  most  beseem  the  one,  and  rugged 
picturesqueness  the  other.  What  is  much  more  difficult,  but  none  the  less  important,  is 
to  interpret,  in  the  lodges  and  entrance  as  a  whole,  those  subtle  distinctions  not  only  of 
style  and  scale  but  also  the  finer  qualities  of  perfect  harmony  with  environment  and  the 
expression  of  the  social  or  intellectual  ideals  for  which  the  family  may  be  noted.  Just 
as  it  may  be  said  that  a  place  fits  the  family,  so  the  entrance  should  fit  the  place. 

On   large   estates,   old    and   semi-retired  servants   are  often  placed  in  these  lodges,   the     Lodges. 
wife   to   attend   to   the  gate,  the  man   to  keep  the   entrance  clean  and  tidy.     Under  these 
conditions  the  lodges  are  usually  very  small,  and  often  of  one  story  only,  the  architectural 


Fitness  and 
scale. 


37 


ENTRANCES     AND     CARRIAGE     COURTS. 


FIG.      17. — ENTRANCE     TO     THE     GROUNDS     OF     A     RENAISSANCE     MANSION. 

,?  V-'" 


FIG.     l8. — A     SIMPLE     ONE-STORIED     LODGE     BUILT     OF     LOCAL     MATERIALS. 


ENTRANCES  AND  CARRIAGE  COURTS 


FIG    ig. — SMALL   ONE-STORIED    LODGE. 

(THE  LATE  MR.  DAN  .GIBSON,  ARCHITECT.) 


emphasis  being  gained  by  massive  gate  piers,  beautiful  wrought-iron  gates,  and  fine  wing 
walls.  On  the  other  hand,  if  the  lodges  are  to  be  occupied  by  the  gardener  or  other 
active  servants,  they  might  be  treated  as  the  architectural  tour  de  force  of  the  entrance, 

the  gates,  piers  and  wing  walls  being  designed  on 
simpler  lines.  Illustrations  Nos.  18  and  19  show 
simple  but  convenient  forms  of  small,  one-storied 
lodges,  each  having  a  living  room,  scullery,  two 
bedrooms,  a  porch  and  larder,  with  the  usual 
conveniences,  while  gate-houses,  as  distinct  from 
other  forms  of  lodges,  invariably  need  the  close 
association  of  other  buildings,  and  are  usually 
placed  very  near  the  residence,  either  at  one  side  Gate-houses. 
of  the  carriage  court,  as  in  illustration  No.  22,  and 
as  in  the  well-known  example  at  Borwick  Hall, 
or  on  the  side  opposite  the  main  entrance  to  the 
house  as  in  No.  86.  In  the  older  examples  these 
were  seldom  placed  further  away  than  in  the 
well-known  gatehouse  at  Charlecote,  unless  treated 
as  the  entrance  to  some  lordly  domain  from  the 
town  or  village,  or,  in  very  exposed  positions,  to 
give  shelter  to  the  grounds  as  in  the  case  of  those  shown  in  illustrations  Nos.  81  and  82. 
The  twin  lodges  (111.  No.  21),  designed  in  connection  with  one  of  the  principal 
entrances  to  Pittencreiff  Park,  Fifeshire,  provide,  in  their  general  grouping  and  composition, 
a  transition  from  the  gate-house  to  the  pair  of  lodges  ;  these  were  to  stand  some  distance 
from  the  house,  up  to  which  there  is  a  wide  straight  avenue.  When  a  gate-house,  with 
an  arch  enclosing  a  view  over  the  park  or  gardens  is  adopted,  such  an  arrangement  as 
that  shown  in  illustration  No.  23,  planned  and  erected  for  Earl  Beauchamp  at  Madresfield, 
allows  of  very  varied  treatments. 

Single  lodges  usually  require  much  more  careful  planning  in  relation  to  the  site  than 
double  lodges,  for  in  the  latter  case,  provided  the  drive  is  at  right  angles  to  the  public 
road,  and  continues  for  some  distance  in  a  straight  line,  the  mere  balance  of  parts  secures 
a  certain  imposing  effect.  Single  lodges  are  usually  erected  in  positions  where  the  drive 
takes  an  oblique  or  curving  line  from  the  road.  Here  the  lodge  must  be  placed,  and  the 
windows  of  the  living  room  arranged  so  as  to  secure  a  long  view  of  the  road  on  one  side 
and  the  drive  on  the  other.  This  often  leads  to  a  certain  picturesqueness  of  outline  and 
composition  and  an  originality  of  treatment  which  may  give  an  individual  charm  to  the 
entrance. 

This  position  of  the  lodge,  in  relation  to  the  direc- 
tion from  which  carriages  approach,  and  to  the  ease 
with  which  the  gates  can  be  opened  by  the  attendant, 
is  important.  The  arrangement  aimed  at  is  usually  to 
obtain  the  longest  view  of  the  drive  and  of  the  public 
road,  so  that  the  attendant  may  have  due  warning 
of  the  arrival  of  vehicles.  How  this  can  be  accomplished 
is  seen  in  the  accompanying  plan  (No.  20),  the  curved 
line  representing  the  course  the  carriage  would  take 
in  driving  to  the  residence.  As  indicated  by  the 
radiating  lines,  the  living  room  has  a  bay  window  A 


Placing  of 
the  lodge. 


FIG.  20. 


commanding  the  drive  in  both  directions,  and  the  entrance  porch  B  is  within  seven 
yards  of  the  centre  of  the  gateway.  If  after  passing  the  gates,  the  drive  curved  in 
the  opposite  direction,  an  additional  window  would  be  required  at  E. 


39 


ENTRANCES    AND    CARRIAGE    COURTS. 


T)UNFERMLINE  PARK 
//ENTRANCE-LODGES 


FIG.     21. 


FIG.     22. — THE     CARRIAGE     COURT     "  WOOD,"     DEVONSHIRE. 


ENTRANCES    AND    CARRIAGE    COURTS. 


LODGES  -AT 

MAESRCDDUD 

NEWPORT-MON 


Lodges  placed  a  little  distance  back  from  the  wing  walls  are  the  most  pleasing,  though 

the   many   considerations   which  influence   their   position  make  it   difficult   to   lay    down    a 

general  rule.  The  ground  may  rise  so  rapidly  from  the  entrance,  as  in  the  case  shown  in 

illustration  No.  24,  as  to  give  the  lodge 
a  stilted  appearance  if  set  back,  or  it 
may  fall  so  rapidly  as  to  compel  their 
erection  close  up  to  the  wing  walls,  when 
it  is  necessary  to  bring  the  lodge  closer 
to  the  road.  An  example  of  double  lodges 
demanding  a  very  open  treatment  is  shown 
in  the  heading  to  Chapter  VI.  These 
were  erected  as  the  entrance  to  Brook- 
landville,  an  old  colonial  classic  residence 
some  twenty  miles  West  of  Baltimore, 
U.S.A.  Although  the  public  road  was 
wide  enough,  the  macadamized  part  was 
very  narrow,  and  therefore  it  was 
desirable  to  provide  stretches  of  grass 
outside  the  gates,  and  give  to  the  latter 
added  importance  by  the  provision  of 
wrought-iron  grilles.  Illustration  No.  23, 
shows  two  lodges  designed  by  Mr.  E.  P. 
FIG.  23.  Warren  for  a  client  in  South  Wales  ;  the 

ground  floor  of  that  on  the  right  and 

the    upper   floor   plan   of   that    on    the    left   being   shown.      The  drive,  as    planned   by  the 

author,  is   for  a  considerable  distance  perfectly  straight,  and  is  planted  as  a  broad  avenue, 

which  when  fully  grown  should  make  a  dignified  approach  to  a  fine  modern  mansion  which 

occupies  an  elevated 

site.     In    No.    25 

are    illustrated    a 

pair    of    workmen's 

cottages   as    lodges, 

placed    at   some 

distance    from 

Dunchurch      Lodge, 

Rugby,  and   at   the 

junction  of  the  drive 

with     the     Rugby 

road,    and    designed 

by    Gilbert     Frazer, 

Esq.   Unfortunately, 

the  photograph  was 

taken    before    the 

climbers  and  sur- 
rounding plantation 

had  been  given  time 

to  add  their  pictur- 
esque and  softening 

touches  to  the  com- 


Double 
lodges. 


FIG.    24. 


position.      There    is    another    lodge    of    more    distinctly    architectural    pretensions    at 
entrance  to  the  gardens. 


the 


41 


ENTRANCES     AND     CARRIAGE     COURTS. 


FIG.     25. — ESTATE    WORKMEN'S    COTTAGES    AT    DUNCHURCH    LODGE,  RUGBY 
GILBERT    FRAZER,  ESQ.,  ARCHITECT. 


FIG.     26. LODGE     AND     GARAGE     BY     W.     LEIPER,     ESQ.,     F.S.A 


42 


ENTRANCES    AND    CARRIAGE    COURTS. 


Owing  to  the  happy  combination  of  homely  circumstances  they  present,  both  single 
and  double  gate  lodges  placed  at  the  ends  of  long  park  drives  often  blend  perfectly  with 
their  picturesque  landscape  surroundings,  suggesting  to  the  passer-by  a  scene  of  peaceful 
habitation.  It  is  this  delightful  homeliness  above  every  other  quality  that  is  to  be 
sought  in  lodges  when  far  removed  from  the  mansion  ;  in  these  and  similar  positions 
rustic  character  need  not  be  sacrificed  to  style.  Given  the  right  surroundings,  this  is  much 
to  be  preferred  to  making  the  lodge  appear  as  an  offshoot  from  the  mansion.  Illustra- 
tion No.  18  gives  a  solution  of  this  problem  of  an  entrance  so  far  removed  from  the 
mansion  as  to  suggest  a  design  which  harmonizes  with  the  district  of  which  it  forms 
a  part,  rather  than  the  mansion  to  which  it  belongs. 

In  choosing  a  position  for  a  lodge,  although  a  backing  of  foliage  is  desirable,  do 
not  place  it  amidst  or  too  near  trees,  but  allow  ample  space  for  sunshine  and  flowers. 
A  common  mistake  is  to  omit  the  yard  and  provision  for  the  ordinary  household  re- 
quirements, such  as  drying  clothes,  which  can  be  arranged  with  privacy  by  enclosing 
a  piece  of  ground  within  hedges  or  walls. 

All  examples  referred  to  so  far  are  connected  with  more  or  less  extensive  domains. 
There  is  a  tendency  for  them  to  become  sub-divided  to  meet  the  growing  demand  for 
small  compact  country  residences  which  the  motor  car  has  brought  within  the  reach  of 
so  many  persons  who  for  business  reasons  have  hitherto  been  compelled  to  reside  near 
railway  stations.  Such  properties  are  often  small  in  extent,  ranging  from  five  to  twenty 
acres,  which  must  be  so  developed  as  to  secure  the  delights  and  conveniences  of  larger 
estates.  They  must  therefore  be  carefully  and  compactly  planned,  providing,  in  addition 
to  a  good  garden  for  use  and  ornament,  a  small  garage  or  stable,  with  chauffeur's  apart- 
ments, coachman's  or  gardener's  cottage.  Here  necessary  compactness  of  plan  often 
leads  to  a  most  effective  grouping  of  garage,  stables,  lodge  and  entrance.  The  result 
is  usually  better  than  a  series  of  scattered  buildings,  and  indeed  often  adds  a  note  of 
interest  to  the  garden.  Illustration  No.  26  shows  such  an  arrangement.  Here  the 
residence  stands  on  an  elevated  site  and  is  some  one  hundred  yards  distant.  This 
picturesque  and  well-planned  group  was  designed  by  Mr.  Lei  per,  A.S.A.,  of  Glasgow. 

The  grouping  of  the  necessary  accessories  to  small  country  houses  will  undoubtedly  be 
further  developed,  and  out  of  this  may  grow  a  distinctive  character  and  style ;  but,  as 
each  site  will  need  special  consideration,  no  fear  need  be  entertained  of  monotonous 
repetition. 

It  has  always  appeared  to  the  writer,  that  the  suburban  house,  on  a  site  of  perhaps 
only  two  acres,  requires  greater  care  in  its  placing  than  any  other ;  such  houses  when 
built  on  the  South  side  of  the  road,  are  invariably  placed  near  the  public  highway,  with 
little  more  than  a  carriage  court  or  even  only  a  covered  way  (111.  No.  27)  to  separate 
them.  Formerly  the  house  was  often  a  plain  Georgian  structure,  with  a  beautifully 
designed  portico  entrance.  This  refined  and  scholarly  phase  of  English  domestic  archi- 
tecture, whether  near  a  town  or  in  the  country,  calls  for  a  corresponding  solidity  and 

richness  in  the  entrance  piers,  wing  walls,  and  gates.  At 
Farfield  House,  near  Bolton  Abbey  (111.  No.  48),  piers 
stand  at  either  side  of  the  entrance  to  the  North  Garden, 
which  was  probably  at  one  time  the  carriage  court.  The 
wrought-iron  gates,  which  from  their  position  and  proportions 
must  have  been  very  beautiful,  have  disappeared.  The 
Carshalton  gates  and  piers  are  better  known,  but  both 
serve  to  show  how  much  the  architects  of  the  later 
renaissance  valued  the  entrances  as  points  of  emphasis,  often  restraining  expenditure  on 
the  house  that  they  might  enrich  them. 

The  gate    piers    at   Wood,   a    modern    residence    on    Dartmoor,   are    of    more    modest 


Grouping  of 
garage, 
stable,  lodge 
and 
entrance. 


Houses 
near  the 
highway. 


43 


ENTRANCES    AND    CARRIAGE    COURTS. 


FIG.   28. — ENTRANCE  TO  A  DOMAIN  IN  DEVONSHIRE. 


FIG.  29. — ENTRANCE  TO  CARRIAGE  COURT,  DUNCHURCH  LODGE,  NEAR  RUGBY. 


44 


ENTRANCES    AND    CARRIAGE    COURTS. 


GATC  PFRS  j  ItZZO 

i  (5  owl  near  c/afeKnam /flr 

:  HALSEY , 


dimensions,   and    on    that    account    perhaps    better   adapted    to    the    majority  of  entrances 
(111.  No.  28).     They  are  *built  of  roughly  squared  granite,  with  simply  detailed  capitals  to 

permit  of  the  molds  being  cut  by 
local  workmen,  the  whole  sur- 
mounted by  lead  urns.  Other 
columns  of  similar  height,  but  in 
brick,  are  shown  in  No.  34.  Others 
in  brick  and  tiles  and  octaganal 
on  plan  are  shown  in  illustration 
No.  35. 

Where  a  homely  quaintness  is     Gate  piers 
sought    after     rather     than     archi-     and  local 
tectural   expression,    much   may  be     material. 
done    with     the    simplest    local 
material,    whether    brick    and    tile, 
granite,  limestone,  millstone  grit,  or 
slate  rock   as   in  Westmorland   and 
North   Wales.     Where    there    is 
neither  rock  nor  brick  of  sufficiently 
good   quality   to    stand    the    strain 
of  gates,  then   any  material  which 

FIG.    30. 

comes    handiest    may  be    built    up 

in  cement  and  completed  in  cement  rough-cast,  with  a  flag  or  simply  dressed  cap,  which 
may  be  surmounted  by  a  ball,  sugarloaf,  or  other  suitable  finial.  An  example  in  rough 
stone  is  given  in  No.  31,  and  of 
brick  in  Nos.  34  and  35. 

For    the    gates     themselves,  .  ^J  .  Wrought 

wrought     iron      in      some     form  .  ir^BSJMl    3Ba3  'iron  gates. 

or  other,  either  plain  or 
ornamental,  is  the  best.  No 
reference  has  been  made  to 
those  fine  achievements  in  the 
smith's  art  which  are  the  fitting 
accompaniment  of  the  palatial 
mansion,  but  a  study  of  them  is 
not  only  interesting  but  helpful 
to  all  who  contemplate  the 
erection  of  new  entrance  gates, 
even  though  they  may  necessarily 
be  on  a  more  modest  scale. 
Considered  from  the  practical 
point  of  view  however,  wrought 
iron  lasts  longest  and  needs 
little  repair  beyond  an  occasional 
coat  of  paint.  Unfortunately  no 
material  lends  itself  so  readily 
to  the  manipulation  of  the 
wholesale  manufacturer  who,  by 
his  machinery,  supplants  the 


craftsmanship  of  the  worker.    In 
no   branch    of    applied    art    does 


FlG.    31. — A    SIMPLE    ENTRANCE    IN   GRANITE    AND   WROUGHT    IRON. 


45 


Gates  in 
wood  and 
iron 
combined. 


Wooden 
gates. 


ENTRANCES    AND    CARRIAGE    COURTS. 

the  skill  of  hand  and  head  of  the  worker  count  for  more  than  in  the  forging  and 
fashioning  of  iron,  and  for  this  reason  a  perfectly  plain  gate  carefully  constructed  is  better 
than  an  elaborate  one  turned  out  by  machinery. 

As  some  proof  that  the  clever  craftsman  is 
still  with  us  I  illustrate  three  recently  constructed 
carriage  gates.  No.  28  shows  the  gates  at 
"  Wood."  No.  29  the  gates  to  the  carriage  court 
at  Dunchurch  Lodge,  near  Rugby,  and  Nos.  32 
and  33  to  the  principal  entrance,  Little  Onn 
Hall,  Staffordshire. 

A  combination  of  wood  and  iron  has  often 
been  tried,  sometimes  with  success.  There  seems 
no  valid  reason  why  this  combination  should  not 
oftener  have  been  resorted  to,  except  on  the 
ground  of  the  difference  between  the  lasting 
qualities  of  the  two  materials  used.  Here  are 
two  designs,  Nos.  34  and  35  which  combine  both 
materials,  the  iron  being  treated  constructionally 
to  strengthen  the  woodwork  and  the  gates  as 
a  whole.  Teak  is  an  excellent  timber  to  use  in 
conjunction  with  iron,  and  so  is  English  oak, 
but  pine,  even  when  well  painted,  seems  to  decay 
quicker  by  contact  with  it. 

For  most  people  an  oak  or  painted  gate 
must  suffice.  For  detached  villas  and  even  larger  FIG-  32.— ENLARGED  DETAIL  OF  FIG.  33. 

houses,  well-designed  gates,  partly  panelled  or  arranged  with  open  bars  and  strong 
substantial  strap  hinges  and  hung  to  squat,  strongly-built  stone  or  brick  piers,  such  as 
those  given  in  illustration  No.  69,  are  both  effective  and  inexpensive.  Over-elaboration 


«,       ?      V      ", 


FIG.     33. ENTRANCE     GATES     AT     LITTLE    ONN    HALL,     STAFFORDSHIRE. 


46 


ENTRANCES    AND    CARRIAGE    COURTS. 

spoils,  and  at  the  same  time  adds  unnecessarily  to  the  cost.  Simple,  well-proportioned 
gates,  of  good  construction,  are  invariably  the  most  satisfactory,  whilst  the  money  thus 
saved  would  often  pay  for  the  erection  of  stone  or  brick  hanging  piers.  Gates  which  are 
not  constructed  on  the  principle  of  the  five-barred  gate,  i.e.,  with  diagonal  braces,  are 
better  in  pairs.  The  usual  setting-out  widths  for  entrance  gates,  from  that  for  a  main 
entrance  to  an  important  property  down  to  a  single  gate  to  a  suburban  villa  and  wing 
wall,  are  shown  on  illustration  No.  36. 


FIG.    34. 


FIG.    35. 


In   planning  the  wing    walls   every  designer  naturally  has   his    own   ideals   as   to  what     Wing  walls. 
will  suit  any  given   position.     Practice,  and   failures  in   practice,  yield  useful  object  lessons 
and   settle  points  which,  although  they  involve   a   few  restrictions,  repressing  flamboyancy, 
yet    eventually    help    towards    right    methods. 

As  previously  stated,  the  distance  from  the  line  of  roadway  to  the  entrance  gate  is 
dependent  on  many  things.  If  the  drive  runs  at  right  angles  to  the  road,  it  is  advisable 
to  place  the  gates  far  back  to  allow  a  turn  of  large  radius  for  carriages.  If  the  public 
road  be  narrow  in  proportion  to  the  amount  of  traffic  upon  it,  it  becomes  all  the  more 
necessary  to  have  some  form  of  well-recessed  wing  walls. 


FIG  36. 


Broadly  speaking,  there  are  three  forms  of  wing  walls,  viz.,  the  bell  and  cup  shapes, 
formed  by  convex  and  concave  lines,  and  a  combination  of  the  two  by  O.  G.  lines.  They  are 
shown  in  the  accompanying  sketch  (111.  No.  37),  and  of  these  there  are  many  variations 
and  developments,  such  as  splayed  wing  walls.  For  entrances  placed  at  right  angles  to 
the  road,  the  cup-shaped  plan  is  generally  most  effective,  as  it  allows  a  good  outside 
green,  which  may  be  protected  by  posts  and  chain.  The  next  best  is  the  O.  G.  line  ;  but 
for  drives  entering  at  irregular  angles  the  bell-shaped  is  preferable,  the  convex  lines  being 


47 


ENTRANCES    AND    CARRIAGE    COURTS. 


Laying  out 


more  adaptable  to  an  unsymmetrical  plan  and  wing  walls  of  unequal  length.  Where  the 
entrance  is  at  the  end  of  a  street,  as  in  the  accompanying  sketch  plan  (111.  No.  38), 
and  the  residence  is  of  sufficient  importance,  the  outer  pillars  are  effective  if  in  a  line 
with  the  outside  width  of  the  street,  the  wing  walls,  being  concave,  describing  a  quarter 
of  a  circle  ;  or  frequently  a  good  effect  may  be  obtained  without 
placing  back  the  line  of  the  gate,  by  simply  arranging  the  gate  piers 
in  a  line  with  the  boundary  fences. 

The  most  difficult  entrances  to  set  out  with  satisfactory  lines 
are  those  which  are  of  irregular  shape,  i.e.,  with  unequal  wing  walls. 
Nothing  could  be  more  deceptive  to  the  uninitiated  than  the  effect 
of  curves.  Somehow,  even  when  they  have  had  much  careful  planning, 
they  lose  that  easy  flow  of  line  which  on  paper  looks  so  pleasing,  for 
there  is  all  the  difference  between  a  flat  scale  drawing  and  the  lines  as 
laid  down  and  viewed  in  perspective.  When  dealing  with  a  long 


FIG.  37. 


Carriage 
courts. 


'Jttje 


curved  wing     curved  wing   wall   to   an   entrance  as   in   illustration    No.    20,    a   good  method   is    to   have 
walls.  the  ground  roughly   graded   and   a   rope    line    laid    down   along   the    proposed   curve.     For 

this  purpose,  obtain  an  old  cart  rope,  or  any  rope  or  long  garden  line,  free  from  stiffening  ; 
tie  one  end  to  a  peg  fixed  at  the  point  where  the  wing  wall  is  to  strike  the  pillar,  and 
fix  a  second  peg  at  the  extremity  of  the  curve  ;  having  thrown  out  the  line  between  these 
two  points,  walk  from  the  first  peg  along  the  proposed  line  of  fence  with  rope  in  hand, 
allowing  it  to  pass  lightly  through  the  half-closed  fingers,  repeating  the  operation  until 
the  line  is  pleasing  to  the  eye.  Having  fixed  the  curve,  place  ranging  poles  at  regular 
distances  along  it,  and  imagine  the  inter-spaces 
brick  or  stone  wall,  when  the  result  will  generally 
be  to  make  the  line  longer  or  flatter  by  carrying  the 
first  peg  further  along  the  road.  Curved  lines  always 
appear  more  full  and  rounded  when  viewed  in 
perspective.  If  some  architectural  character  and 
dignity  are  desired,  then  from  these  actual  lines 
make  a  survey,  and  thereupon  design  the  elevations. 
The  carriage  entrance,  if  sufficiently  important, 
should  be  provided  with  side  gates  for  pedestrians  on 
one  or  both  sides  ;  these  may  be  any  width  from 
three  to  five  feet,  and  the  parapet  or  sidewalks, 
where  these  exist,  with  proper  kerb  and  channel 
terminating  against  the  pillars.  The  opening  for  a 
carriage  gateway  is  usually  12  feet,  but  if  the  gate 
pillars  and  general  arrangement  are  on  a  large  scale, 
14  feet  is  not  too  wide  ;  but  these  dimensions  cannot 

as     a     rule     be     exceeded    with     satisfactory    results.  FIG.  38. 

Where  wrought   iron   is   used    and  a  very  open  effect 

is    aimed    at,   fixed    side    panels    with    strongly    braced    and    strutted    hanging    bars    may 
be   adopted. 

In  the  old  examples  of  carriage  courts  or  turns,  the  shape  and  size  are  decided 
by  the  plan  of  the  house,  of  which  they  were  really  a  part.  The  house  was  sometimes 
arranged  as  a  square,  with  a  court  in  the  middle,  or  as  an  "  E,"  "  H,"  or  "  L,"  shaped 
block  of  buildings,  with  the  court  in  one  of  the  recessed  parts.  In  an  "  E  "  shaped 
plan,  as  No.  39,  the  central  wing  often  consisted  of  the  entrance  porch  only,  leaving  the 
end  wings  to  project  a  long  distance  beyond.  In  the  "  H  "  plan  the  recess  at  one  end  was 
often  used  as  the  carriage  court,  and  the  one  at  the  other  end  as  kitchen  court.  In  the 
"L"  plan  the  court  was  protected  on  one  side  only.  At  Blicking  Hall,  Norfolk,  there 


48 


ENTRANCES    AND    CARRIAGE    COURTS. 


FIG.    39. 


is  an  inner  court,  the  space  for  carriages  being  between  the  stables  on  one  side  and 
the  offices  on  the  other.  In  many  cases  there  were  two  carriage  courts,  a  plan  which 
has  been  adopted  for  Graythwaite  Hall  (111.  No.  41),  and  which  may  in  future  have  to 

be     resorted    to    in    those 

places   where    the    existing 

court   cannot  be  enlarged. 

In    the    planning    of    a 

modern     house    this     is 

seldom     done,     the     chief 

entrance  being  on  the  line 

of  the  main    block,  or    at 

the    end    of    a    projecting 

wing,    with     no     building 

whatsoever  to  flank  either 
side  of  the  carriage  turn,  and  usually  no 
terraces  on  the  entrance  side  ;  the  park, 
pastures,  and  natural  portions  of  the 
grounds  being  allowed  to  run  up  to  the 
edge  of  the  gravelled  carriage  space.  This 
change  of  plan  is  probably  responsible  for 
the  curved  or  circular  form  of  court,  the 
absence  of  architectural  limitations  giving 

the  landscapist   an  oppor- 
tunity   of    introducing   his 

curves,    as    in    illustration 

No.    40.      This    feature   is 

one  of   the    most    sensible 

things  he  has  ever  devised, 
.because  the   shape,  if  well 

considered,    indicates    the 

lines   which    a   carriage 
FTC,    40.  would    most     naturally 

follow  when  driving  to  or 
from  the  front  entrance. 

In  certain  recent  examples,  especially 
where  Georgian  traditions  are  followed, 
there  is  a  tendency  to  return  to  the 
architectural  carriage  court,  by  enclosing 
the  remaining  side  with  gate-houses  or  high 
masonry,  as  at  Wood,  N.  Devon,  (111. 

No.     22  ), 

and       at 

Th  ornton 

Manor, 

where    the    carriage    court    is     enclosed    from    the    public 

highway  by  the    gatehouse   illustrated   in  Nos.    81  and  82. 

In  others  a   pleasing    and    protected    court    is    formed    by 

projecting    the    kitchen    wing    on    one    side    (the    windows 

being  arranged  on  the  opposite  side),  and  the  billiard  wing 

on  the  other,  frequently  enclosing  nearly  the  entire  court. 

This   desire  for  a  well-screened  carriage   court  is  eminently 

FIG.    42. 


GG/WTHWAITE 

•  MALL 

UMP5T01W" 


FIG.     41. 


49 


Shelter  for 
drivers. 


ENTRANCES    AND    CARRIAGE    COURTS. 

sane    and  practical,    and  if   it   cannot  be  obtained  by  any  other  means,  then  the  enclosure 
should  be  protected    by  hedges  or  even  climber-covered  trellis. 

Whatever  the  form  adopted,  there  are  three  conditions  which  should  be  carefully 
observed.  First  :  the  area  of  gravel  between  walls  should  be  much  greater  than  when 
the  court  is  surrounded  by  grass,  not  less  than  60  feet  by  80  feet  if  to  accommodate 


(entrance    Oafes  &  Sfyefter. 


6/evanotz  ofjl/cove. 


FIG.   43. 

motor  cars  ;  if  surrounded  by  level  grass,  a  gravelled  space  of  45  feet  by  65  feet  would 
suffice.  These  are  medium  widths,  quite  apart  from  the  amount  of  gravel  space  suited 
to  the  position  which  the  court  or  carriage  turn  occupies.  Of  course,  in  every  case, 
aesthetic  considerations,  taken  in  conjunction  with  the  special  requirements  of  the 
particular  case,  will  determine  the  size  as  well  as  the  placing  of  the  carriage  court.  To 
lay  down  rules  for  universal  adoption  would  be  worse  than  useless.  The  scale  of  the 
entrance  fagade  of  the  house  is,  of  course,  the  predominant  factor,  while  the  contours 
of  the  surroundings  and  other  local  influences,  as  well  as  the  nature  and  amount  of 


FIG.    44. 

traffic,  will  need  consideration.  Again,  where  the  drive  is  not  broad  enough  to  allow  two 
strings  of  vehicles  to  pass  one  another  easily,  as  may  often  be  the  case  in  very  short 
drives,  it  may  be  necessary  to  give  additional  room  for  vehicles  waiting  their  turn  to 
leave  the  court.  In  very  few  instances  will  provision  for  the  inclusion  of  flower  beds 
be  necessary,  a  clear  line  of  demarcation  between  the  approach  and  the  pleasure 


ENTRANCES    AND    CARRIAGE    COURTS. 


nn 

..j  LJ 


• 


FIG.    46. 


grounds  being  one  of  the  regular  functions  of  the  carriage  court.  Where  space  permits, 
nothing  looks  better  than  a  combination  of  grass  and  gravel  as  in  Nos.  42  and  47,  a  treat- 
ment seen  to  perfection  in  the  carriage  courts  to  many  of  the  stately  homes  of  England. 
Secondly  :  the  courts  or  turns  should  be  level,  or  with  slope  only  sufficient  to  throw 

off  surface  water.  What  has  been 
said  elsewhere  with  reference  to 
the  necessity  for  giving  the  house 
a  level  base  to  stand  upon  by 
means  of  terracing,  bears  with  equal 
force  on  the  planning  of  carriage 
courts.  Indeed  what  is  done  for 
the  garden  front  of  the  mansion 
by  the  former,  is  accomplished  for 
the  entrance  facade  by  the  latter, 
and,  even  though  giving  the 
carriage  court  a  level  base  should 
FIG  .,  make  it  necessary  to  curtail  its 

dimensions,     this     rule     should    be 

strictly  enforced.  In  emphasizing  this  necessity,  I  am,  of  course, 
referring  to  the  whole  of  the  area  or  plateau  occupied  by  the 
court.  That  the  gravelled  area  for  traffic  must  be  flat,  or  almost 
so,  goes  without  saying,  for  a  steep  cross  fall  would  be  extremely 
dangerous  to  carriages  turning  round  to  leave  the  court.  Thirdly  : 
Recognizing  that  many  country  houses  are  centres  of  social  life 
and  activities  which  make  considerable  demand  on  a  late  service 
of  motors  and  carriages,  the  comfort  of  chauffeurs  and  drivers 

should  be  considered  by  arranging  ample  shelter.  This  may 
often  be  secured  most  simply  by  porters'  lodges,  such  as 
were  proposed  for  Holker,  and  illustrated  in  Nos.  43  and  44. 
Where  there  are  projecting  buildings  or  high  walls,  archi- 
tecturally treated  recesses  may  be  inserted  there.  These 
recesses  are  usually  sufficient,  but  in  very  exposed  positions  they 
should  be  supplemented  by  masses  of  plantation,  not  high 
enough  to  give  the  house  a  buried  appearance,  but  still  effective 
in  screening  carriages  and  the  porch.  That  provision  for 
the  shelter  of  drivers  while  waiting  or  in  charge  of  restive 
animals  which  cannot  be  left  for  a  moment,  has  not  been 
more  often  seized  upon  as  a  factor  possessing  almost 
unbounded  aesthetic  possibilities,  is  remarkable.  They  would 
be  particularly  useful  in  this  connection  :  in  cases  where 
the  court  is  enclosed  by  long  blank  walls  which  need  the  relief  which  this  insertion  would 
provide,  or  where  there  is  an  awkward  corner  which  seems  to  defy  artistic  treatment. 

Residences  are  often  built  with  entrances  in  such  positions  as  to  necessitate  carriage 
turns  which  have  steep  banks  falling  away  from  them.  Wherever  this  is  so,  even  though 
wind  screens  may  not  be  required,  protection  should  be  provided,  as  nervous  horses  are 
apt  to  be  affected  with  a  feeling  of  insecurity  unless  something  is  done  to  prevent  this. 
At  Capernwray  Hall  a  yew  hedge  three  feet  thick  and  five  feet  high  was  to  be  planted, 
cut  square,  with  shaped  yew  pillars  every  twenty  feet,  on  the  top  of  the  slope  which 
runs  the  full  length  and  across  one  end  of  the  gravelled  carriage  turn  (111.  No.  45). 
This  simple  addition  is  all  that  is  required  to  make  this  ample  though  exposed  and 
dangerous-looking  carriage  space  perfectly  safe. 


FIG.    47. 


Small 
gardens 
better  with- 
out drives. 


ENTRANCES    AND    CARRIAGE    COURTS. 

Most  of  the  garden  plans  illustrated  in  this  work  include  a  carriage  court.  A  study 
of  these,  together  with  the  sections  and  descriptions  accompanying  them,  show  why  each 
particular  form  is  adopted. 

In  many  places  it  is  advisable  to  dispense  with  a  drive  or  carriage  court,  such  as 
small  houses  placed  on  small  plots  of  land,  because  the  privacy  of  a  garden,  and  even 
the  possibility  of  a  garden,  are  destroyed  by  the  ground  monopolised  by  a  drive  or  carriage 
circle.  In  my  own  tiny  garden  (described  later  among  the  examples  of  garden  design) 
had  space  been  provided  to  drive  up  to  the  front  door,  there  had  been  practically  no 
garden  ;  whereas,  by  placing  the  house  near  the  road,  a  space  of  ground  on  the  South 
and  West  is  gained  as  compensation  for  the  occasional  short  walk  from  the  door  to 
the  carriage. 

Where  a  house  is  placed  near  a  public  road,  an  arrangement  on  the  lines  of  the 
carriage  court  at  Chiswick  House  (111.  No.  46)  would  be  advisable,  or  better  still,  a 
court  the  entrance  to  which  can  be  set  back  well  from  the  line  of  the  roadway,  as 
suggested  on  the  accompanying  sketch  (111.  No.  47).  There  are  also  many  cases  where, 
even  though  the  house  may  be  further  from  the  road  than  in  either  of  these  examples, 
it  may  still  be  desirable  to  save  the  space  which  would  otherwise  be  given  up  to  a 
drive  and  carriage  turn  and  connect  the  highway  with  the  house  by  a  covered  way. 
Where  the  windows  of  the  entertaining  rooms  are  so  placed  that  they  would  inevitably 
be  overlooked  from  the  carriage  is  an  instance  of  this,  or  again,  where  the  disposition  of 
the  house  on  the  site  would  otherwise  prevent  privacy  in  the  pleasure  grounds.  There 
are  many  instances  in  the  suburbs  of  all  large  towns  where  land  is  too  expensive  to 
allow  of  large  grounds  where  much  would  be  gained  and  nothing  lost  by  doing  away 
with  the  "  carriage  sweep,"  as  it  is  usually  called,  and  substituting  for  it  a  covered  way 
connecting  the  house  with  a  carriage  stance  obtained  by  recessing  the  boundary  wall  on 
either  side  of  the  gateway.  By  a  proper  attention  to  the  details  of  the  covered  way, 
a  most  delightful  cloistered  effect  can  often  be  given  to  the  garden  on  one  or 
both  sides  of  it. 


FIG.     48. — ANCIENT     GATEWAY     AT     FARFIELD     HOUSE. 


|£ATES 
GARDEN f 
f  PARK 

^XW^rfTT-lfef 


CHAPTER  V. 

In  this  chapter  it  is  proposed  to  discuss  the  planning  and  design  of  those  gates  and 
fences  which  could  not  be  included  in  the  previous  chapter  dealing  with  entrances  and 
carriage  courts.  These  are  two  features  which  offer  endless  possibilities  for  effective 
treatment,  and  it  is  not  too  much  to  say  that  whatever  the  material  employed,  there  is 
no  case  where  either  a  gate  or  a  fence  is  required  about  the  estate  which  will  not  allow 
of  the  exercise  of  taste  in  its  design  and  arrangement. 

While  in  large  gardens  attached  to  historic  mansions  care  is  usually  exercised  in  these 
matters,  in  other  cases  it  is  more  often  the  rule  than  the  exception  to  find  that  the 
necessary  fences  and  gates  have  been  placed  anywhere  convenient  and  selected  from  the 
wholesale  manufacturer's  catalogue,  without  any  conception  of  the  fact  that,  without 
impairing  their  usefulness  in  the  least,  they  may  be  so  arranged  as  to  enhance  the  beauty 
of  the  grounds  they  enclose  or  partition.  Gates  also  have  the  further  advantage  that 
they  may  mark  the  end  of  a  vista  or,  by  a  judicious  use  of  open  panels,  may  half 
reveal  and  half  conceal  the  beauties  of  the  garden  beyond,  and  so  tempt  to  further 
exploration.  Fences,  on  the  other  hand,  may  support  festoons  of  climbing  roses  or  other 
greenery,  may  be  part  of  a  terrace  scheme  or  pergola,  or  may  lead  the  eye  forward 
along  a  vista,  or  otherwise  help  the  composition  of  the  scene  as  a  whole. 

In  the  old  examples,  both  gates  and  fences  were  made  to  serve  as  ornaments  to  the 
gardens  they  graced,  and  the  skilful  design  and  clever  craftmanship  expended  upon  them 
were  doubly  pleasing  because  legitimately  applied  to  utilitarian  objects.  In  making  new 
gardens,  although  they  may  not  be  in  the  same  styles  as  the  old  work,  it  is  equally 
desirable  to  give  character  and  distinction  to  such  details  by  attention  to  their  design  and 
placing.  This  does  not  mean  that  they  should  be  overloaded  with  needless  ornamentation, 
but  that  their  necessary  parts  should  be  so  designed  as  to  harmonize  with  one  another 
and  with  their  surroundings. 

The  almost  infinite  variety  of  fences  of  all  sorts,  wood,  stone,  brick  or  iron,  or  a 
combination  of  any  two  of  these  which  is  obtainable,  should  help  to  make  the  choice  of 
one  suitable  for  every  position  very  easy,  besides  which  there  are  hedges  of  many  kinds 
and  the  sunk  fence  or  ha-ha  for  occasional  use  in  very  special  circumstances. 

Local  conditions  will  often  determine  the  character  of  a  fence,  especially  in  the  smaller 
garden  or  the  more  remote  portions  of  larger  ones,  and  its  character,  whether  elaborately 
finished  or  rustic,  will  depend  on  its  relation  to  the  residence  and  the  purpose  it  is  to 
serve.  Too  much  can  scarcely  be  said  in  favour  of  the  old-fashioned  hedgerows  in 
districts  where  they  thrive  and,  in  well-wooded  localities  where  stone  is  plentiful,  for 
stone  walls  or,  where  the  conditions  are  favourable,  for  a  combination  of  the  two,  stone 
dykes  for  example  surmounted  by  hedges,  or  hedges  planted  in  the  open,  with  walls  where 
there  are  overhanging  trees,  or  in  other  positions  detrimental  to  the  former  fence. 


Msthetic 
possibilities 
°f  gates  and 
!ences- 


55 


GATES    AND    FENCES    FOR    GARDEN    AND    PARK. 


Destruction 
of  fences 
on  new 
property 
condemned. 


The  ha-ha 
fence. 


FIG.  49. 


The  almost  infinite  variety  of  trees  from  which  hedges  may  be  grown,  makes  their 
inclusion  in  every  part  of  the  domain  quite  appropriate.  They  are  however  more  con- 
veniently dealt  with  in  the  chapter  devoted  to  formal  and  clipped  trees,  and  it  will  be 
sufficient  here  to  protest  against  the  somewhat  unaccountable  custom  of  demolishing  all 
internal  fences  on  new  property.  Of  course  if  a  tall  and  prominent  hedge  cuts  like  a 
knife  right  across  the  prospect,  destroying  the  composition  of  the  views  and  competing  with 
the  onward  sweep  of  a  vista,  it  must  be 
removed  and  something  less  obtrusive  put  in 
its  place,  but  in  most  cases  there  can  ^  be  no 
more  mistaken  policy  than  the  removal  of  the 
hedges  on  new  estates  in  the  attempt  to  gain 
breadth.  Unless  the  area  under  treatment  is 
most  exceptionally  fortunate  in  the  amount  and  disposition  of  its  timber  trees,  the 
result  will  be  not  breadth  but  desolation  and  that  sense  of  barren  newness  which  it  is  the 
aim  of  the  Landscape  Architect  to  avoid  at  all  times.  The  features  which  impart  local 
character  to  a  district  are  entirely  destroyed,  and  instead  we  have  an  expanse  of  wind- 
swept land  without  protection  for  stock  in  stormy  weather  or  shade  in  heat.  Far  better 
would  it  be  to  wait  until  the  newly-formed  plantations  have  more  or  less  matured,  when 
the  gradual  rearrangement  of  the  fences  may  be  undertaken  without  even  temporary 
disfigurement  of  the  estate. 

Estate  owners  are  not  usually  averse  to  walls  or  hedges  to  screen  them  from  the 
public  highways  and  yet  they  fail  to  see  the  equal  necessity  for  a  definite  line  of  de- 
marcation between  portions  of  the  estate  serving  different  and  even  aesthetically 
incompatible  purposes.  It  was  as  a  result  of  this  dislike  of  internal  fences,  that  the  ha-ha 
or  invisible  sunk  wall  came  to  be  invented,  the  idea  of  which  was  usually  to  make  a 
large  meadow  look  as  though  it  were  part  of  the  garden,  instead  of  which  it  usually 
resulted  in  making  the  house  appear  to  be  placed  down  in  the  middle  of  a  field  without 
either  protection  or  privacy.  As  already  stated,  there  are  exceptional  cases  where  the 
ha-ha  may  be  employed  with  success,  but  generally  speaking  it  is  to  be  avoided.  From 
the  very  fact  that  it  partakes  of  the  nature  of  an  extremely  obvious  trick  on  the  senses 
which  is  almost  immediately  discovered,  it  cannot  be  permanently  pleasing,  especially 
in  those  numerous  cases  where  it  degenerates  into  an  untidy  ditch.  In  most  instances 
it  gives  the  impression  of  presenting  a  very  poor  excuse  for  unwarrantably  curtailing  the 
extent  of  the  gardens,  and  is  a  silent  confession  that  the  grounds  should  have  extended 
further  than  they  do  into  the  meadow  and  that  a  trick  has  been  resorted  to,  to  hide  their 

meagre  area.  Again,  a  fence 
which  makes  it  appear  as 
though  the  cattle  in  the 
meadow  could  come  right  up 
to  the  windows  of  the  house 
or  walk  over  the  flower 
beds  cannot  be  satisfactory. 
It  will  often  be  found  too 
that  the  ha-ha  has  proved 
insufficient  to  prevent  intrusions  and  has  been  supplemented  by  untidy  wire  contrivances 
which  have  entirely  defeated  its  original  purpose,  and  there  have  been  cases  where  short- 
sighted persons  have  walked  over  the  edge  of  the  hidden  wall  and  fallen  into  the  ditch. 
To  sum  up,  the  same  principle  should  apply  to  fences  as  to  everything  else  in  a 
garden.  Instead  of  being  a  sham  or  a  make-believe  all  the  garden  appointments  should 
honestly  express  their  functions,  and  their  artistic  qualities  should  be  inherent  and  not 
superimposed.  In  every  case  the  purpose  or  purposes  of  the  fence  should  be  recognized, 


FIG.  50. 


GATES    AND    FENCES    FOR    GARDEN    AND    PARK. 


such  as,  for  instance,  screening  a  public  road,  giving  protection  from  winds,  dividing 
two  estates  or  portions  of  the  estate  or  gardens,  or  for  training  fruit  trees  against,  and 
then  that  character  of  fence  should  be  adopted  which  best  fulfils  the  requirements 
of  the  case  and  the  prevailing  architectural  conditions. 


FFG.  51. 


FIG.    52. 


As  may  be  seen  from  many  of  the  plans  illustrating  this  work,  the  grounds  to 
a  mansion  may  often  be  almost  entirely  fenced  in  by  the  terrace  and  fruit  walls.  When 
the  house  stands  in  its  own  park,  this  is  the  most  economical  arrangement,  as  the  balus- 
trade necessary  to  grace  the  terrace  serves,  the  double  purpose  of  ornament  and  use. 
Where  the  lawn  extends  beyond  the  terraces,  however,  some  form  of  enclosing  fence 
becomes  necessary,  and  while  it  need  not  by  any  means  be  a  solid  wall,  it  should  be 
substantial  enough  in  appearance  to  give  the  impression  of  adequate  protection  against 
the  inroads  of  cattle  and  suggest  seclusion  from  the  outer  world.  A  more  or  less  open 
arrangement,  through  which  the  grass  of  the  Park  can  be  seen  and  which  will  not  cut 
off  the  view,  will  usually  be  preferable,  and  where  the  fence  is  straight  and  the  ground 
fairly  level,  will  not  be  difficult  to  obtain.  A  series  of  pillars  in  local  stone  or  brick 
placed  at  regular  intervals  with  the  spaces  between  filled  in  with  wrought-iron  or  open 
wood  panels,  such  as  those  shewn  in  Nos.  51,  52  and  53,  or,  in  more  important  cases, 
a  dwarf  wall  with  well-designed  wrought-iron  railings  above,  as  in  No.  50  would  prove 
suitable.  Here  again  local  conditions  should  suggest  original  treatments.  Thus  in  No.  49, 
the  arrangement  of  slates  and  wires  was  suggested  by  the  contrivances  erected  on 
the  tops  of  walls  in  the  Lake  District,  to  prevent  the  hardy  mountain  sheep  from 
escaping.  In  other  places  peeled  larch  might  be  used  in  connection  with  stone.  Both 
forms  produce  quite  a  rustic  fence  only  suitable  for  use  at  some  distance  from  the 
residence,  unless  it  were  small  or  designed  on  very  simple  lines,  while,  if 
wrought  wood  panels  were  used,  as  in  No.  54  the  effect  would  be  more 
finished. 

Where  the  ground  is  undulating  and  the  fence   follows  the  contours  in 
sweeping   lines,    a   strong   and    simple   pattern    of   continuous   bar   railing  is 

often  suitable,  but  what  is  known  as 
unclimbable  fencing,  especially  the  pattern 
adopted  by  various  railway  companies, 
should  not  be  used  unless  a  shrubbery  is 
planted  in  front  of  it  or  a  hedge  trimmed 
square  and  a  few  inches  higher  than  the 
railing,  when  it  forms  a  neat  and  service- 
able arrangement,  though  perhaps  a  trifle 
hackneyed.  Next  to  barbed  wire  or  broken 

glass,  however,  nothing  is  more  out  of  harmony  with  garden  scenery  than  the  spiked  heads 
of  unclimbable  fencing  unscreened  by  such  a  hedge  as  that  just  described.  Strained  wire 
too,  as  usually  used,  is  quite  unsuitable,  though  a  nice  fence  may  be  made  on  the  lines 
of  the  fruit  espalier  shown  in  No.  307  with  oak  posts  and  top  rail.  This  form  of  fence, 
if  arranged  in  straight  lengths,  is  simple  and  effective,  and  there  is  much  scope  for 


*r~ 


FIG.    53- 


Fencing 
exhibiting 
local 

character- 
istics. 


Unclimb- 
able 
fencing. 


Strained 

wire 

fencing. 


57 


GATES  AND  FENCES  FOR  GARDEN  AND  PARK. 


originality  in  the  shape  given  to  the  heads  of  the 

posts.      In  a  similar  fence    shown  in    the   view  in 

gardens    at     Wraysbury    near    Staines     (No.    55), 

the  posts  stand  up  about  two  feet  six  inches  above 

the  top  rail,  in  the  form  of  sugar-loaf  finials  which 

form    supports   for    climbing    roses.      In  this  case,  FIG.  54. 

as    part    of    the    fence    is    curved,    the    wires    are 

omitted  and  the  top  rail  consists  of  a  plain  round  galvanized  bar.     Another  simple  wooden 

fence,   consisting   of  a  post  with  a  cut  and  shaped   head  and  a  handrail  placed  angle-wise, 

is  shown  in  No.  56.       This  form  is  particularly   useful  in  the  wild  garden    or  at    the   side 


FIG.     55. — ROSE     FESTOONS     AT     THE     GRANGE,     WRAYSBURY. 

of  a  woodland  path  where  the  ground  slopes  away  rapidly  so  as  to  render  it  dangerous. 
There  are  many  positions  where  a  solid  fence  or  wall  would  be  inappropriate,  as 
when  a  rounded  mound,  forming  the  middle  distance  of  an  extensive  view  from  the 
residence,  is  the  limit  of  the  property.  In  such  a  case  one  of  these  simple  arrangements 
of  post  and  rail,  or  post,  rail  and  wire,  would  be  most  useful. 

Peeled  larch  Another  form  of  wooden  fence,   which,  however,  is  more  suitable  for  use  in  connection 

fencing.  with    cottages    or    lodges   than    in   the    garden    proper   or    the    home    park,    may    be   made 

from   peeled    larch    unwrought,    with    strong    posts,   top    and   bottom    rail    filled   in   with    a 

lattice  made   from   the   same   material  split   down   the    centre   of    each   piece   arid   the    flat 

surfaces  placed  together  as  in  No.  57. 

Oak  A   similar   fence   is   often   made   from   the   smaller   limbs   of   oak   trees   known   as   oak 

cord-wood.       cord-wood,   but,   as   these   consist  almost   entirely  of  sap-wood,  they  will  only  last   a  very 

short  time,   and   even    pieces    four   inches   thick    will   rot    through    at    the   ground    level   in 

the  course  of   a   year  or  two.     The   writer  has  met  with  many  cases  where  this   material 


GATES  AND  FENCES  FOR  GARDEN  AND  PARK. 


has  been  extensively  used  under  the  impression  that  all  oak  was  very  lasting,  with 
consequent  disappointment  to  the  users,  and  the  fact  that,  when  new,  it  is  often  so 
hard  that  it  is  almost  impossible  to  drive  a  nail  into  it,  tends  further  to  deceive  the 
inexperienced  as  to  its  durability. 

Another    cheap    fence    for    cottage    gardens    and    probably    the    most    generally    useful 

which  could  be 

contrived,     is 

constructed     of 

carpenter  -  made 

lattice     framed 

between    strong 

square      posts, 

three-and-a-half 


FIG.  56. 


FIG.  57. 

inches  in  dia- 
meter and  spaced  five  to  six  feet  apart.  The  bottom  rail  should  be  kept  clear  of  the 
ground,  say  about  three  inches,  and  the  top  rail  wethered  or  rounded  on  its  top  edge 
and  grooved  to  receive  the  laths,  which  should  be  about  i^  by  f  inches  thick  and 
spaced  eight  or  nine  inches  from  centre  to  centre.  A  useful  height  for  such  a  fence  is 
about  three  feet  six  inches,  and  if  it  is  not  to  be  painted,  the  posts  should  be  of  oak, 
otherwise  larch  or  pitch  pine  are  better.  Pillar  and  climbing  roses,  honeysuckle,  and 
other  flowering  climbers  can  be  most  appropriately  trained  over  it. 

Another  form  of  fence,  with  framework  of  similar  construction,  is  the  old  upright 
paling,  which  may  either  have  the  posts  rising  from  the  ground  or  from  the  top  of  a 
dwarf  wall.  The  uprights  or  balusters  may  be  ij  inches  by  ij  inches,  set  angle-wise 
or  square,  or  flat  pieces  about  two  and  a  half  inches  broad  and  three  quarters  of  an 
inch  thick  with  the  top  ends  cut  to  a  pattern  may  be  substituted.  The  possible  vari- 
ations in  the  treatment  of  the  details  are  unlimited.  In  Holland,  the  tops  of  the 
uprights  are  shaped  and  coloured  to  represent  tulips  or  other  flowers  and  the  remainder 
painted  white,  but  such  a  treatment  would  generally  appear  exotic  in  this  country,  though 
many  ideas  can  be  culled  from  the  quaint  Dutch  gardens  and  also  from  Japanese  ex- 
amples. Travellers  in  the  latter  country  speak  enthusiastically  of  the  artistic  taste 
and  clever  craftsmanship  displayed  in  the  fences.  Even  the  tiniest  gardens  are  fenced 
by  paling  which,  in  character,  is  simplicity  itself,  exhibiting  perfect  taste  in  the  spacing 
of  the  several  parts,  the  sizes  and  thickness  of  the  woodwork,  or  woodwork  and  stone 
combined  as  the  case  may  be,  minute  attention  being  given  to  details,  and  all  without 
sacrificing  in  the  slightest  the  durability  of  the  work,  but  rather  the  reverse,  clever 
contrivances  being  made  to  nullify  the  effects  of  the  weather  by  means  of  a  pantile 
roof  over  the  railings  or  by  crowning  each  post  with  a  metal  cap. 

A  distinct  class  of  wooden  fence  is  obtained  by  the  use  of  split  or  riven  oak,  which 
is  particularly  appropriate  for  the  division  of  suburban  gardens  or  as  a  protection  from 

a  footpath  or  road.  It  has  the 
merit  of  being  cheap  when  its 
durability  is  considered,  and 
looks  picturesque  when  weather- 
stained,  and  particularly  so  when 
overgrown  with  climbers.  As  will 
be  seen  from  Nos.  58,  59  and 
60,  the  material  allows  of  varied 
and  original  treatment  and  some 
forms  are  decidedly  ornamental, 
FIG.  5s.  though  the  ordinary  pattern, 


Lattice 
fencing. 


Upright 
paling. 


Riven  oak 
fencing. 


59 


Stone  walls. 


GATES    AND    FENCES    FOR    GARDEN    AND    PARK. 

which,  on  the  front  side,  shows  nothing  but  a  series  of  overlapping  split  battens  arranged 
vertically    and    cut    to   the   same    height,    will    often    meet    all    requirements.      This    simple 


FIG.  59. 


FIG.    60. 


pattern  may  be  given  a  little  more  finish  by  cutting  the  heads  of  the  posts  to  a  variety 
of  designs,  by  the  addition  of  an  oak  capping  to  the  railing  or  by  varying  the  lengths 
of  the  split  oak  spads.  No.  60  shows  a  fence  having  all  three  features.  A  combination 
of  split  oak  and  oak  wattles  also  split  is  shown  in  No.  59,  while  No.  61  shows  much 
the  same  fence  built  in  between  brick  piers  to  screen  off  the  kitchen  garden  from  the 
grounds  designed  by  the  author  for  T.  Pegram,  Esq.,  of  Hoylake,  Cheshire. 

The  design  and  arrangement  of  stone  walls  depend  so  much  on  local  conditions 
that  it  is  impossible  to  do  more  than  indicate  a  few  main  principles  for  general 
application.  The  delightful  garden  wall  at  Alton  Towers,  Staffordshire,  which  has  been 
so  often  illustrated,  for  instance,  though  so  appropriate  to  its  surroundings,  would  be  quite 
out  of  place  in  most  circumstances.  A  wall  if  rightly  placed  cannot  however  fail  to  be 
pleasing  in  any  locality  in  which  there  is  local  stone  from  which  to  build  it,  though  a 
brick  wall  in  a  stone  district  or  a  stone  wall  where  it  is  obviously  an  imported  feature 
may  be  equally  out  of  place.  The  prime  cost,  of  course,  will  be  higher  than  for  a 

J^0^iC>- 


,^|k>!^t& 

-/ 1  m  w2K#0L   .jdtes* 


FIG.    6l. 

wooden  fence  or  even  ordinary  iron  railings,  but  it  will  also  be  more  durable.  It  is, 
however,  dressed  or  tooled  stonework  which  is  costly  and,  for  ordinary  estate  work,  dry 
built  walls  (i.e.  without  mortar)  provide  all  that  is  necessary,  especially  when  the  coping 
stone  can  be  set  in  cement. 

Tasteful  A   well-constructed  dry    wall  is   always    pleasing   and   each   district   has   its   own   mode 

use  of  local      of  building  to  suit  the  character  of  the  local  stone,   whether  quarried  stone,  slate,  cobbles, 

materials.        nibble  or  flints  or  a  combination  of  any  of  these,  with  or  without  bricks  or  tiles.     Where, 

for    instance,    cobbles,   roughly-squared   stone    and  slates   can    be    obtained,   quite   charming 

effects  may  be  produced  by  combining  them,    as   in   No.   62,   and   examples  of  such  walls 


60 


GATES  AND  FENCES  FOR  GARDEN  AND  PARK. 


i  J 

:  j 

i  ' 

i 

:; 

] 

FIG.    62. 


are  often  found  along  the  Deeside  in  Aberdeenshire,  a 
county  in  which  walling  has  been  brought  to  the 
perfection  of  a  fine  craft.  Flints  and  stone,  flints 
and  brick,  or  flints,  brick  and  tiles,  all  may  be  arranged 
in  many  tasteful  and  original  combinations,  and  the 
flints  themselves  may  either  be  used  whole  so  as  to 
present  a  rounded  surface  or  split  in  two  to  show 
the  dark  glass-like  interior. 

For  walls  nearer   the    residence,  where   a  stronger     Coping. 
construction   and  more   finished  appearance  are   neces- 
sary,   squared    rubble    laid    in    mortar    may    be    used 


with  a  hog-back  or  rounded  coping,  as  in  No.  63  or  No.  64,  where  two  courses  of  slates 
have  been  inserted  under  the  coping  to  give  a  little  relief.  No.  65  shows  a  similar  coping 
and  No.  66  the  same  with  two  courses  of  tiles  inserted.  The  two  latter  could  be  closelv 


FIG.  63. 


•      -5TONC    WALL 

FIG.    64. 


TWO  COURSES 
OF    TILES 


THE  OUT; 


BE.ICK    WflLL 
FIG.    67. 


FIG.    65.  FIG.    66. 

copied  in  brick  where  necessary,  and  instead  of  the  two  courses  of  tiles,  there  may  be 
three  courses,  of  which  the  middle  one  consists  of  roofing  tiles  placed  so  as  to  show 
the  "frogs"  as  in  No.  67,  so  as  very  cheaply  to  obtain  the  effect  of  a  dentil  course. 

By  the  ingenious  arrangement  of 
roofing,  paving  and  the  many  shapes  of 
ridge  tiles,  quaint  and  effective  copings 
may  be  evolved  suitable  for  all  sorts  of 
positions  where  a  brick  wall  is  necessary, 
and  in  some  parts  of  the  country  oval 
land-draining  tiles  are  made  with  ribbed 
exterior  surfaces  which  make  a  simple  and 
effective  balustrade.  Open  panels  too  may 
be  constructed  by  piling  curved  ridge  tiles 
in  a  symmetrical  manner.  Walls  dividing 
small  gardens  or  surrounding  rose,  fruit 
or  other  enclosed  pleasaunces,  may  often 
be  improved  by  the  adoption  of  some 
of  these  methods. 

It  cannot  be  too  strongly  urged,  how- 
ever, that,  from  the  aesthetic  standpoint, 
the  least  satisfactory  boundary  wall  is 
that  which  is  built  of  machine-made  red 
bricks  of  even  colour  such  as  are  common 
in  Lancashire  and  North  and  South  Wales, 
but  there  are  many  cases  where  a  deep- 
coloured  local  brick  is  made,  not  too  even 
in  shade,  which  is  admirable,  while  grey 
or  brindled  rough  bricks,  especially  if 
only  two  inches  thick,  make  an  excellent 
and  not  very  expensive  boundary  or  for 
dividing  adjoining  villa  gardens. 

61 


FIG.    68. — GARDEN    GATE   WITH    BELLS    ATTACHED   TO    RING 
WHEN    MOVED. 


Brick  walls. 


GATES  AND  FENCES  FOR  GARDEN  AND  PARK. 


Terrace  walls,   fruit   walls,  and   the  wing   walls   to  entrances   are  dealt   with   elsewhere, 

but     much   that   has   been   said   of   garden   walls   in    general    applies    equally   to   them. 

Wrought-  The  employment  of  wrought  iron  for  garden   fences  has  not  of  recent  years  received 

iron  fences,     the   attention   it   should,   partly,   no   doubt,    on   account   of   the   initial   expense   and   partly 

from  a  failure  to  discriminate  between  wrought  iron   of  good  workmanship   and  cast   iron 


Large 

entrance 

gates. 


IT 


FIG.    69. — SIMPLE    WOODEN    ENTRANCE    GATES. 

imitations  of  the  old  work.  In  the  best  periods  of  English  garden  design,  wrought  iron 
was  always  held  as  almost  essential  to  its  highest  development  and  might  to-day  be 
employed  more  frequently  when  garden  improvements  are  under  consideration.  Nothing 
could  be  better  for  the  fences  between  the  forecourt  of  a  Georgian  residence  and  the 
highway,  as  at  No.  50,  where  it  is  desirable  to  hide  as  little  of  the  facade  as  possible. 
In  such  cases  the  fence  should 
generally  be  designed  on  perfectly 
simple  lines  with  the  ornamental 
emphasis  occurring  seldom  and  con- 
centrated at  special  points  to 
emphasize  the  main  lines  of  the 
composition  as  a  whole.  This  result 
is  most  often  attained  by  reserving 
the  ornament  for  pilasters  or  gates, 
as  in  the  design  just  referred  to. 

Having  thus  briefly  sketched 
the  more  important  of  the  various 
kinds  of  fences  which  may  be  used 
in  the  garden,  we  may  now  consider 
the  gates  to  be  used  in  conjunction 
with  them,  and  without  which  they 
would  be  incomplete. 

Large  entrance  gates  are  dealt 
with  in  another  chapter,  and  the 
number  of  folding  gates  which  are 
required  for  other  situations  is  more 
or  less  restricted,  so  that  it  has 
only  been  thought  necessary  to  give 
designs  for  two,  one  in  iron  and  the 
other  in  wood.  The  first,  No.  70, 
was  designed  as  part  of  the  scheme 
for  laying  out  gardens  at  Green- 
woods, Stock,  the  architecture  of  FIG.  70 ---GATE  AM\ STEPS  AT  GREENWOODS,  STOCK,  ESSEX. 


62 


GATES    AND    FENCES    FOR    GARDEN    AND    PARK. 


QAW3EN   G/3E-HOU5E 

Lffl 


FIG.     71. 
63 


Postern 
gates. 


Garden 
doors. 


FFG.    72. 


GATES  AND  FENCES  FOR  GARDEN  AND  PARK. 

the  mansion  demanding  a  quiet   treatment    of   the  surrounding  details;    and  the  second  (111. 

No.   69)    would   be  useful  where  access  to  the  home  park  were  required  for  carts,  etc.,  from 

somewhere   on   the   route   of  the  main   drive   or   other  rather    prominent    positions. 

Reference  to  any  of  the  plans  given  in  this  book  will  show  the  important  part  which 

postern  and  other  small  gates  take  in  a  well-designed  garden. 
As  to  the  character  and  design  of  individual  gates,  every- 
thing depends  on  the  position  and  importance  of  the  walks 
to  which  they  give  access,  and  the  style  of  the  residence  to 
which  they  lead.  The  steps  and  gateway  just  referred 
to  and  which  are  shown  in  illustration  No.  70, 
occupy  a  position  on  the  central  axial  line  through  the 
house,  and  are  placed  on  the  terrace  which  divides  the  old 
garden  from  the  new  extension,  a  position  which  justifies 
the  ornamental  treatment  adopted.  The  gateway  in  the 
balustraded  wall  shown  in  illustration  No.  50  connects  a 
large  carriage  court  with  the  home  park,  the  importance  of 
the  residence  demanding  such  an  arrangement.  In  other 
cases,  to  mark  divisions  between  the  various  parts  of  a 
garden,  quaintly-designed  lych-gates  may  be  used,  or  little 
gatehouses  such  as  that  shown  in  No.  71,  which  would 
serve  the  purpose  of  an  arbour  as  well  as  a  gate  canopy. 
In  other  cases,  where  simpler  treatment  would  be  more  in 

harmony   with   the   surroundings,   either  of    the  gates  shown    in   Nos.  72  and   73   might   be 

used.       The    first    of    these    was    erected    at    Wraysbury,    near    Staines,    and    connects    the 

lawns    and   paddock.      It   is   more   elaborate    than    would   usually   be   required    for    such    a 

position,     but    was    justified    by   its    surroundings.       In    other    cases,    the    one    shown    in 

No.  73,    and    erected    at    Shrublands,    Windermere,    would 

be    more   suitable.     The   gateway     No.   50    with    the    open 

railing  ;    the  gateway  illustrated  in   No.    61   with  the  over- 
head   arrangement,    and    side     panels,    the    one    at    Skibo 

Castle    designed    for    Andrew    Carnegie,    Esq.,    D.C.L.    (111. 

No.   74),    and    the    opening    and    gate     with    its     row     of 

clanging     bells     at     Ashton-on-Ribble     (No.    68),     are     all 

modern   examples    of  gates   on    which   smith    or    carpenter 

has    exercised    his    craft,    and    all    are    arranged    to    mark 

divisions  between   parts  of  gardens,   while  Nos.  75  and   76 

give  two   antique   Spanish    wrought-iron   gates  which  have 

been   re-erected   in  an   English   garden. 

Garden    doors    made    to    fit    arched    openings    in    fruit 

walls    or    the    fence    to     the    public     highway    are    often 

required,   and   for  their  design   and    arrangement    we   have 

a   large    amount    of    precedent   in   the    old   English   walled 

gardens.       There     is     a    perfectly     plain     but     delightfully 

proportioned   one  at   Melbourne   Hall,    Derbyshire,  the  seat 

of   Admiral   Lord   Walter   Kerr,    and    another    rather    more 

elaborate,  and  designed  in  the  classic  renaissance  style,   at 

Woolhampton  Hall,   Berkshire.      Those  shown  in   Nos.  299  and  300,  erected  in  gardens  by 

the  Author,  are  all  designed  in  the  spirit  of  the  old  work.     In  this  class  of  door  more  than 

any    other  it   is    impossible    to   use   stock    designs.     Every  site  needs  individual  treatment, 

and  the  most  should  be  made  of  the  individual  note.      Where  the  door  gives  access  from 

the  highway,   a  sense  of  privacy  is   required,   as  it  would  be  the  entrance  for  members  of 


OVEB-AECHEl)  QATE  e"»feJ  of  W1NDEPMECE 
K1G.    73. 


64 


GATES  AND  FENCES  FOR  GARDEN  AND  PARK. 


the  household  only,  and  where  it  gives  access  to  n  walled  garden  for  roses  or  old-fashioned 

perennials,   after   the  style  of   the   old   examples,  a   glimpse   of   the   brilliant   colour   masses 

within  might   be  obtained  through   open   panels 

or  over  the  door,  which  might   not  in  this  case 

be    made    high    enough    entirely   to    fill   up   the 

arched   opening.     For  such   doors,   oak   is  to  be 

preferred,   and   if  possible   English   Oak,   as   this 

is    not     only    the    most    durable    but     has    an 

infinitely  better  appearance  than    the    American 

Oak,   which  comes   next   in  order  of   durability. 

Teak  is  also  suitable,  as  it  is  lasting  wood,  but 

most   people  will   prefer  the  appearance  of  oak, 

especially    when    weathered. 

Before  leaving  the  subject  of  garden  gates, 
four  designs  are  given  for  small  entrances  to 
little  gardens.  The  first  two,  Nos.  77  and 
78,  are  arched  over,  No.  77  being  intended 
to  be  built  in  local  stone,  rough  punch  and 
hammer  dressed,  and  No.  78  being  designed  for 
building  in  rough  slate  or  other  material  with 
natural  cleavage  lines,  the  ball  over  the  gate 
being  the  only  portion  rough  punched. 

The  other  two  remaining  gateways,  Nos. 
79  and  80,  are  simpler  still,  and  have  been 
designed  with  a  view  to  strict  economy.  All  four  would  lend  themselves  well  to  use 
in  the  outlying  portions  of  larger  properties,  and  would  be  quite  suitable,  for  instance, 
as  the  entrance  to  a  wild  garden,  park  or  paddock,  and  other  places  which  are  not 
strictly  within  the  ornamental  grounds. 


SKIBO  <2\3Tffi    • 
A  CATHAY 


Gates  for 

little 

gardens. 


FIG.  74. 


FIGS.     75     &     76. ANTIQUE     SPANISH     GATES     ERECTED     IN     AN     ENGLISH     GARDEN. 


GATES  AND  FENCES  FOR  GARDEN  AND  PARK. 

The  subject  of  gates  and  fences  has  been  specially  dealt  with,  in  the  hope  that  more 
care  and  thought  may  be  bestowed  upon  them  than  has  been  in  the  past.      It  is  hoped 


jcm,! 

iftit^r. 


tffity'' 

'"*.i*:«x 


FIG.     78. 


that  estate  owners,  instead  of  surrendering  inevitably  to  the  fence-maker's  catalogue,  will, 
by  the  aid  of  the  examples  given,  be  helped  to  evolve  designs  which  shall  have  the  merit 

of  individuality  and  special  suita- 
bility to  the  needs  of  the  particu- 
lar case.  It  is  usual  to  undervalue 
that  which  is  easily  accessible,  and 
to  value  that  which  is  exotic  and 
remote,  and  in  no  case  has  this 
tendency  been  more  pronounced 
than  in  the  design  of  gates,  and 
it  is  hoped  that  the  examples  which  have  been  given  of  simple  designs,  lending  themselves 
to  sound  and  honest  construction  by  the  local  craftsman,  may  help  to  remove  this 
tendency. 


FIG.  79. 


FIG.    8O. 


66 


FIG.      8l.— GATEHOUSE      SCREENING     CARRIAGE     COURT     AT     THORNTON      MANOR,    CHESHIRE. 

From  the  Highway. 


FIG.     82.— GATEWAY      SCREENING      CARRIAGE      COURT      AT     THORNTON      MANOR,     CHESHIRE. 

From  the  Carriage  Court. 


ENTTR^NICE  TO  bPOCMANCWOOD  hCV5E .  MI3HOBE  VSA 


CHAPTER    VI. 

Those  who  have  studied  the  writings  of  the  Early  Victorian  school  of  Landscape 
Gardeners,  and  particularly  those  persons  acquainted  with  the  actual  work  of  this  period, 
will  have  noticed  how  often  the  drive,  which  is  generally  the  most  important  accessory 
of  a  country  domain,  seems  to  be  treated  as  an  unfortunate  necessity.  At  best  its 
aesthetic  possibilities  are  considered  to  be  limited  to  the  focussing  of  vistas  or  views  of 
the  residence  or  park  landscape,  for  which  purpose  it  is  arranged  in  a  series  of  more 
or  less  meaningless  sinuous  curves.  Such  expedients  are  seldom  satisfactory.  They  may 
please  on  first  acquaintance,  but,  as  soon  as  their  artificiality  becomes  apparent,  they 
partake  of  the  nature  of  tricks,  and  "  tricks,"  even  in  landscape  gardening,  invariably 
pall  in  the  end. 

To  commence  the  task  of  designing  and  laying  down  the  lines  of  the  drive  to  a 
country  house  with  such  limited  conceptions  of  its  aesthetic  possibilities,  would  be  a 
fatal  policy.  When  we  consider  the  importance  of  first  impressions,  and  that,  in  the 
case  of  every  house  which  stands  in  its  own  grounds,  they  are  gained  from  the  main 
approach,  we  at  once  see  that  no  feature  is  so  capable  of  giving  or,  on  the  other  hand, 
destroying  the  dignity  and  sense  of  fitness  in  the  setting  of  the  mansion.  It  is  also 
necessary  to  remember  that,  on  the  placing  of  the  drive,  will  depend  the  disposition  of 
many  other  features  which  have  a  direct  connection  with  it,  or  which  must  be  so  arranged 
as  to  secure  privacy  from  it.  It  therefore  follows  that  drives  and  approaches  are  to  the 
garden  designer  what  the  skeleton  lines  of  a  conventional  design,  or  even  the  leading 
lines  of  an  unconventionalized  statue  or  picture,  are  to  the  designer,  artist  or  sculptor. 

Notwithstanding  much  that  has  been  written  to  the  contrary,  the  questions  of  bal- 
ance, symmetry,  flow  of  line  and  the  other  factors  which  go  to  make  up  what  we  call 
"  composition  "  in  a  picture  or  statue,  all  have  their  counterpart  in  the  designing  of 
drives  and  must  receive  due  attention  if  the  result  is  to  be  pleasing.  There  is,  of  course, 
this  difference,  that,  in  the  painting  or  sculpture,  the  designer  is  unhampered  by  utilitarian 
considerations,  while  in  the  case  of  the  designer  of  a  drive,  many  such  factors  must 
receive  attention  if  it  is  to  fall  naturally  and  fittingly  into  the  scheme  of  things.  This  is, 
of  course,  true  of  all  garden  planning,  but  in  the  present  instance,  where  purely  practical 
considerations  come  more  prominently  forward  than  in  any  other  branch  of  the  subject, 
except,  perhaps,  the  arrangement  of  entrances  and  carriage  turns,  it  is  especially  necessary 
to  remember  the  close  connection  which  must  exist  between  the  practical  and  aesthetic. 
The  result  must  be  a  compromise  but  need  be  none  the  worse  for  that,  and  may  prove 


^Esthetic 
value  of 
carnage 
drives. 


69 


DRIVES,    AVENUES,    AND    SERVICE    ROADS. 


Unnecess- 
arily long 
drives. 


the    fallacy   of   the   popular   dictum    as   to   the    futility    of    compromises.     Even    the   artist 
must  compromise  with  his  medium  and  is  bound  by  its  limitations. 

Another    misconception    of    the    Early  Victorian    and    Georgian    schools    of    landscape 
gardening    which    it   is    necessary   to   guard    against,  is    that   a  long  and  meandering  drive 
adds  dignity  to  a  residence.      From  the  time  of  Repton,  or  even  earlier,  it  was  sought  to 
express  the  value  and  state  of  a  property  by  the  length  of  its  private  roads,  and  in  several 
of    the    better    known    of    our    lordly    domains,    the    direct    connection    with    the   highway, 
guarded  by   symmetrically-placed  gatehouses,  was   removed    and    miles   of   long,    serpentine 
drives  laid  out.      In  some  cases  the  drive   is  even  made   to   run   parallel  with   the  public 
highway   for  a   considerable   distance,    even   where  the   most   rational   and   direct    planning 
of  the   approach  to   the   house  would  result   in   no   drive   at  all,  but  merely  in   a  carriage 
court   screened   from    the   public   road   by   gate   houses   or   a   high   wall   and   gates,    a   plan 
frequently  adopted  in  the  approaches  to  the  old  manor  houses.      Though  such  an  arrange- 
ment   may,   at    first    sight,    appear    to    some    people    to   be   aesthetically   undesirable,   it    is, 
in    effect    capable    of    the    most   charming   and    dignified     treatment,    and    has    the    further 
advantage   of   giving   to   the   remainder   of   the   grounds   more    privacy   and   seclusion    than 
can   be    obtained   by    any   other   means,    especially   where   the   main    entrance   door   to    the 
mansion  and  the  public  highway  are  both  on  the  North  side  of  the  house,  while  the  cost 
of  forming  and  maintaining   an   unnecessary  drive  is  avoided.     The  question  of   cost,  both 
of    construction   and  maintenance   is    a  very  serious  one,    and   experience  proves  that  long 
meandering  drives,   unless   protected  for   their  whole   length   on   both   sides   by   fencing,   are 
very   difficult   to    keep   clean    where    there   are   cattle,    and   that,   under   any   circumstances, 
they   are   not    so  good   for   quick   transit    as    the    wide,    skilfully    macadamized    and    tarred 
highway  with  which  they  compete.     A  striking  instance  of  this   Early  Victorian   fallacy  is 
given    in    the    plan    of    Athelhampton    Hall    (111.    No.    86).       Here,    there     is    very    little 
doubt   that   the    approach   to   this    beautiful   and    ancient   domain   was   originally   on   much 
the  same  lines  as  those   to  which    the  Author  was  privileged  to  restore  them,   as  shown, 
on    the    plan,    but,    when    he    was   called    in,    the    drive    took    the    course    shown    by   the 
dotted  lines,  and  there  is  no  doubt  that  the  change  from  the  simple,  direct  and  dignified 
approach   to   one   which  runs   close  to   and   parellel   to   the   highway   for   quite   a   distance, 
was  made   when   this   false   taste    was    in    vogue.      This    instance    is    a    particularly    happy 
one,    as    a    glance    at    the    plan    shows    immediately    which    method    is    to    be    preferred, 
whether  considered  from  the  aesthetic  or  practical  standpoints.     Of  course  there  are  isolated 
cases  where   the   character   of   a   highway  so   alters  as   it    approaches  the   house  that  it  is 
undesirable    for    the    drive    to    leave    it    at    the    point    nearest    to    the    mansion.       Such    a 
case    occurred    in    the    gardens    laid    out    by    the    Author    for    Arthur    Roberts,   Esq.,  of 
Windermere.       Here,    the   roadway,   after    being   of   a   reasonable   width   and   more    or    less 
satisfactorily  graded   for   a  considerable   distance,   suddenly  deteriorated    and    became    little 
more   than  a  farm   track.      In  this  instance,  the   only  satisfactory  solution  of    the  problem 
of    the  route    the   drive    should   take,    was   reached   by    placing   its    commencement   at    the 
extreme    corner   of    the  estate  nearest   to   the  point   where   the   roadway  narrowed  so  that 
only    a    few   yards    of    the    poorer   portion    must    be    traversed    before    reaching    the   main 
entrance    gates,    not    more,  in    fact,    than   it    would   be   possible   to    regrade   by   agreement 
with  the  rural  authorities  without  prohibitive  expense  to  the   proprietor  of  the  mansion. 

Another  exception  to  the  rule  that  the  drive  should  be  as  direct  as  possible,  must 
be  made  in  favour  of  those  domains  reached  through  exceptionally  beautiful  scenery, 
where,  by  reasonable  deflection  of  its  course,  the  approach  can  be  taken  through 
some  especially  fine  country  or  romantic  glen.  No  economic  advantage,  for  instance, 
could  justify  the  removal  of  the  drive  through  Hawkestone  Park  in  Staffordshire  from 
under  the  natural  arch  of  rock  which  at  present  spans  it,  and  there  are  numberless 
instances  of  a  similar  kind  in  other  parts  of  the  country.  This  acknowledgment  of 


70 


DRIVES,    AVENUES,    AND    SERVICE    ROADS. 


exceptional  features  is  not  to  be  confounded  with  the  neglect  of  every  other  consideration 
in  order  to  focus  from  the  route  a  series  of  more  or  less  forced  vistas  and  views  which 
we  have  already  so  strongly  deprecated.  The  two  things  are  entirely  distinct  both  in 
their  intent  and  result. 

While  it  is  impossible  to  arrange  the  various  forms  of  main  approaches  to  country 
mansions  into  hard-and-fast  classes,  they  may  be  broadly  divided  into  naturally -planned 
drives  following  the  contours  of  the  country  through  which  they  pass  ;  formally  arranged 
drives,  usually  part  of  a  symmetrical  arrangement  of  drive,  entrance  and  carriage  court ; 
and  tree-lined  avenues,  straight  or  curved. 

It  should  be  explained  that  while  in  Scotland  all  carriage  drives,  whether  curved, 
serpentine,  or  straight,  tree-lined  or  not,  are  called  avenues,  in  this  work,  for  purposes 
of  distinction,  the  English  usage  is  followed,  only  roadways  bordered  by  trees  placed 
at  even  distances  apart  being  so  designated.  In  England,  carriage  ways,  whether  curved 
or  straight,  which  are  not  bordered  by  trees,  are  called  drives,  while  subsidiary  roads 
used  by  tradesmen  or  estate  servants  and  connecting  with  the  kitchen  court,  stables  or 
farm  steadings  and  not  used  as  principal  carriage  ways,  are  called  service  roads. 

The  whole  subject  of  drive  design  is  more  dependent  on  scale  and  proportion  than 
upon  any  other  factor,  and  it  is  this  which  will  determine  which  of  the  above  forms 
shall  be  adopted  in  each  individual  case.  It  has  always  been  a  common  error  so  to 
treat  the  approach  as  to  convey  an  idea  of  importance  altogether  out  of  keeping  with 
the  size  of  the  mansion  which  it  serves,  though,  as  stated  when  dealing  with  entrances 
in  another  chapter,  the  added  requirements  of  fast  motor  traffic  make  an  arrangement 
suitable  which,  under  older  conditions,  would  have  been  somewhat  grandiose. 

Of  all  forms  of  drive,  the  stately  avenue,  straight  from  end  to  end,  and  bordered 
by  patriarchal  elms  making  a  lofty  overarching  leafy  canopy,  or  a  double  avenue  securing 
a  wide  open  glade  to  the  mansion  is  the  one  expressing  most  dignified  importance  and 
demanding  the  most  imposing  architectural  adjuncts  to  justify  it.  Such  an  avenue, 
on  any  but  the  smallest  scale,  would  be  quite  out  of  place  in  connection  with  anything 
but  an  important  mansion,  and  even  there  great  care  will  be  needed  to  get  length, 
breadth,  distance  between  trees,  lodges,  entrances  and  gates,  all  so  proportioned  as  to  fall 
naturally  into  their  places  and  to  give  that  sense  of  ordered  relation  and  simple  dignity 
to  which  such  an  arrangement  must  owe  its  whole  effect. 

As  a  general  rule  for  adoption  in  all  ordinary  cases  it  may  be  stated  that  an  avenue 
should  be  absolutely  straight  and  level  from  end  to  end  unless  there  is  an  even  rise 
throughout  its  whole  length  towards  the  house,  and  while  such  a  rise,  if  not  too  great, 
is  probably  even  better  than  an  absolutely  level  course,  the  reverse,  or  a  drop  towards 
the  house,  is,  of  all  arrangements,  the  very  worst,  giving  the  house  the  appearance  of 
being  in  a  hole. 

Repton,  in  referring  to  the  formation  of  avenues,  states,  as  his  opinion,  that  the 
effect  is  heightened  where  the  route  followed  is  over  hill  and  dale.  Probably  he  spoke 
of  the  appearance  as  viewed  from  the  side  and  not  up  the  green  aisle,  and  of  avenues 
with  green  drives  not  spanning  a  roadway,  for  straight  roads  and  drives  traversing  a 
series  of  hills  and  hollows  lose,  to  a  great  extent,  that  perspective  which  gives  them 
their  stately  appearance.  This  is  easily  seen  if  the  spectator  stands  on  the  first  rise  and 
looks  towards  the  last  one  when  only  the  summits  are  seen,  the  intervening  road  in  the 
hollow  being  lost  to  view.  It  is  important,  therefore,  when  making  a  straight  drive  over 
undulating  ground,  that  the  heights  should  be  reduced  and  the  hollows  filled  to  obtain 
length  of  line.  When,  however,  there  is  a  swinging  hollow  stretching  from  end  to  end 
of  the  avenue,  and  not  so  depressed  in  the  centre  as  to  bring  the  leafy  canopy  at  that 
point  level  with  the  eye  as  viewed  from  one  end,  the  effect  is  almost  as  good  as  on  a 
level  course.  This  may  be  seen  on  a  large  scale  on  the  Kenilworth  Road  a  short 


Different 
classes  of 
drives. 


Importance 
of  scale. 


Avenues. 

i 


Repton  on 
avenues. 


DRIVES,    AVENUES,    AND    SERVICE    ROADS. 


Uniformity 
of  size  in 
the  trees. 


distance     from     Coventry,     though,    in     this     case,     the     absence     of     some     culminating 
architectural    feature    to   close    the   vista   is   much    felt. 

The  most  important  point  in  the  formation  of  an  avenue  is  that  the  trees  shall  be 
chosen  and  arranged  with  due  regard  to  uniformity  in  their  size  and  habit  when  fully 
grown.  This  is  most  difficult  where  one  portion  of  the  route  is  more  exposed  than 
another  to  cutting  winds,  but  much  may  be  done  by  obtaining  the  whole  quantity 
required  from  one  nursery  and  selecting  individual  trees  for  each  position. 


fa_. 


M 


\ 
\ 

\        ' 
\       / 

—  ,  —  I  r-  

/                V                                 /              \ 
,                     \                            ,                     \ 

\    ! 

Double 
avenues. 


FIG.  83. 


FIG.  84. 


GRASS. 


All  the  remarks  on  the  choice  of  trees  for  garden  work  given  in  another  chapter 
apply  equally  to  those  required  for  avenues,  but,  while  in  a  smoky  district  or  one  where 
towering  height  must  be  sacrificed  for  sturdy  growth,  the  tap-root  must  be  cut  and  the 
leading  shoot  pruned  at  a  later  date ;  in  the  open  country  there  are  many  positions 
where  by  far  the  finest  result  would  be  obtained  by  planting  closer  together  and  leaving 
tap-root  and  leading  shoot  in  their  natural  state. 

Arrange-  The   distance    apart    the   trees   should   be   planted   in    the   rows   at    either   side   of    the 

ment  of  avenue  depends  not   only   on  the  species  to  be  used,   but  also  on  whether  those  on   either 

trees.  side    of   the    roadway    are    to    be   placed   opposite    to    one    another    as    in    the   first    sketch 

(No.    83)    or   diagonally    as    in   the    second  (No.   84).      The    former    arrangement    is   to    be 

recommended  where  the   surroundings  of   the   avenue   are   restrained   and   conventionalized, 

and  the  latter  where  it  passes  through  more  or  less  natural  scenery.      The  spaces  between 

the  trees  in  the  former  case  would 
vary  from  thirty  feet  for  Lombardy 
poplars  to  sixty  feet  for  full-grown 
elms,  and  in  the  latter  rather  less, 
^2\  while  in  planting  an  entirely  new 

avenue  and  where  immediate  effect 
is   desired,    double    this   number  of 
=====        trees   might    be    inserted   and    half 
^p  of   them   removed  as  soon  as  they 

"^^^        have    sufficiently    grown    to    crowd 
each    other    inconveniently. 

Where  the  scale  of  the  mansion 

FIG.  85.  and  its  surroundings  are  such  as  to 

warrant    the    greatest    magnificence 

possible,  double  avenues,  of  four  lines  of  trees,  may  be  formed,  especially  where  side 
tracks  for  foot  passengers  are  desired  in  addition  to  the  central  carriage  drive.  In 
such  cases,  the  two  central  lines  of  trees  would  be  planted  opposite  to  one  another,  and 
the  outer  two,  diagonally  to  the  trees  nearest  to  them  (No.  85).  Additional  effect  may 
be  obtained  by  pollarding  the  inner  rows  of  trees  and  allowing  the  outer  ones  to  tower 
above  them,  an  arrangement  which  will  be  familiar  to  those  who  know  Chelsea  Hospital, 


D  R  I  VE.   * 


72 


DRIVES,    AVENUES,    AND    SERVICE    ROADS. 

though  in  this  case  again  one  feels  that  the  avenues  are  a  little  meaningless  without 
the  incorporation  of  suitable  architectural  features  to  focus  the  vista,  and  also  that 
pollarding  should  not  be  resorted  to  except  where  it  is  a  more  or  less  prominent  local 
characteristic. 

Pleached   avenues    are   very  useful  where   a  formal   arrangement   of  their  surroundings     Symmetnc- 
is   in   evidence,    but    where   the   scale   of   the    whole   lay-out   is   not   important   enough   for     a^V 
the  towering   elm  avenue.      They  are  most  successfully  formed  of  elms  or  beech   and  the     Pianne"' 
best   example    familiar    to    Londoners    is   probably  at   Romney   Road,    Greenwich,  where  it 
passes   between    the    Royal   Naval    College   and    the    Royal    Hospital    School. 

Green   avenues   which    do    not   form  part   of   the  main   approach   to  the    mansion    but 


drives. 


THE  GARDENS  AT 
ATHELHAMPTON .  HALL 
•  DORCHESTER     w~ 


PLAN    SHEWING 
PROPOSED 
ALTERATION  TO 


FIG.     86. 

are   designed   solely   as   a   feature   of   the   pleasure   grounds   or  home   park,   are   dealt   with 
in    another   chapter. 

The  symmetrically  planned  drive  shares  with  the  avenue  its  particular  adaptability 
to  a  position  where  grandeur  is  essential.  The  drive  and  entrance  at  Athelhampton 
Hall  (111.  No.  86),  already  referred  to,  may  be  taken  as  a  typical  instance  of  this  type 
of  drive  which  has  worked  out  well  in  practice,  and  produced  a  result  which  is  dignified 
and  thoroughly  in  keeping  with  the  beautiful  old  architecture  up  to  which  it  leads.  As  is 
particularly  necessary  in  this  class  of  drive,  the  gate-houses  were  designed  by  the  late 
Mr.  Dan  Gibson  in  a  style  exactly  to  harmonise  with  that  of  the  old  residence,  with 
an  arch  over  the  gateway  and  massive  doors,  the  stables  also  being  rearranged  to  suit 
their  altered  surroundings.  In  this  case  the  surface  of  the  drive  is  level,  and  this  is 


73 


DRIVES,    AVENUES,    AND    SERVICE    ROADS. 


Informal 
drives. 


best,    except    where    it    is    rather    long    in    relation    to    its    breadth,    when    an    even    rise 
towards  the  house  will  lessen  the  foreshortening  and  give  an   effect  of  better  proportion. 

Formal  drives  of  this  kind  are  usually  enclosed  between  clipped  hedges  with  a  space 
for  grass  between  the  hedge  and  the  carriage-way,  as  shown  on  the  plan  just  referred  to, 
and  on  the  correct  proportioning  of  the  breadth  of  the  roadway  and  grass  verges  and 
the  height  and  treatment  of  the  hedge  to  the  length  of  the  whole,  much  of  the  ultimate 
effect  will  depend.  Such  drives  cannot,  however,  be  made  more 
than  a  certain  length  without  loosing  the  perspective  and  dwarfing 
the  mansion.  No  very  hard-and-fast  rule  can  be  laid  down 


FIG.  87. 


as  to  the  greatest  length  possible,  as  so  much  depends  on  the  height 
and  breadth  of  the  facade  of  the  house  up  to  which  it  leads,  but  in 
most  cases,  fifteen  hundred  feet  would  be  a  maximum.  In  public 
boulevards  and  park  avenues  this  length  may  be  much  exceeded  by 
placing  a  piece  of  statuary  or  other  monumental  feature  in  the  middle  of  the  roadway 
at  its  central  point,  i.e.,  equidistant  from  either  end,  thus  focusing  the  perspective  ;  but 
in  a  private  drive  such  an  arrangement  would  usually  be  quite  out  of  keeping. 
Where  the  house  is  a  long  way  from  the  highway,  too  far  for  a  successful  treatment 
on  these  lines,  the  best  way  would  be  to  make  a  shorter  formal  drive  at  the  end 
nearest  the  house,  designed  as  a  part  of  the  more  formal  pleasure  grounds,  and  treat 
the  rest  of  it  in  a  free  manner  either  with  a  drive  laid  down  in  sweeping  curves,  or 
better  still,  where  circumstances  allow,  by  a  bifurcated  drive,  as  in  the  sketch  (No  87). 
The  point  where  the  formal  arrangement  ends  will  need  very  strongly  marking  and  the 
best  way  will  be  to  place  the  lodges  here  with  handsome  gates  between,  preferably  of 
wrought  iron,  and  to  treat  the  more  distant  gates  at  the  roadway  quite  simply  with 
simple  wooden  palings  to  the  wings,  the  whole  painted  white  unless  in  oak  when  rampart 
roses  could  grow  over  it  in  luxuriant  masses. 

The  lodges  to  symmetrically  planned  drives  will  themselves  usually  be  best  if 
symmetrically  arranged,  as  shown  in  the  two  illustrations  of  this  type  of  drive  which  are 
given  (111.  Nos.  86  and  87).  Those  appearing  on  the  heading  to  this  Chapter  would  be  suitable 
in  some  instances,  while,  in  others,  where  greater  dignity  is  required,  a  gatehouse  with  an 
arched  portal  and  probably  groined  vaulting  over  the  gateway  would  be  more  in  keeping. 

In  the  making  of  informal  drives,  the  whole  effect  depends  on  a  careful  consideration 
of  the  contours,  and  an  arrangement  of  the  line  of  route  which  recognizes  them  and 
emphasizes  all  that  is  pleasing  in  the  lay  of  the  ground.  It  is  to  these  purely  local 
conditions  and  the  way  they  are  deftly  woven  into  the  scheme,  that  we  owe  much  of 
the  pleasure  derived  from  the  approaches  to  many  a  country  seat. 

In  approaching  the  individual  problem,  the  foremost  consideration  is  to  adopt  a 
route  which,  if  possible,  will  allow  the  drive  to  leave  the  public  road  at  a  lower  level 
than  the  house,  so  that  it  may  rise  towards  it  and  so  increase  its  apparent  elevation, 
but  this  must  be  done  without  sacrificing  directness  and  convenience  or  belying  the 
contours,  or  the  result  will  be  strained  and  affected  in  the  extreme. 


74 


DRIVES,    AVENUES,  AND    SERVICE    ROADS. 


No  paper  scheme  for  a  drive  of  this  kind  can  possibly  be  successful.  Only  by  first 
planning  on  paper,  then  pegging  on  to  the  ground,  adjusting  by  the  eye  and  re-surveying 
on  to  paper,  readjusting  and  repeating  this  process  several  times,  can  the  best  route  be 
decided  on.  For  the  purpose  of  marking  out  the  curves  on  the  ground,  small  pegs  are 
no  use.  Surveyors'  poles  are  best,  but  where  these  are  not  immediately  available, 
slaters'  laths  as  long  as  possible  will  do  almost  equally  well  if  they  are  white  and  clean 
so  as  to  show  up  well  against  fallow  ground,  turf  or  brake,  as  the  case  may  be.  Where 
these  are  used  and  there  are  sudden  dips  in  the  ground  a  few  longer  stakes  will  also 
be  required  such  as  may  be  made  from  plasterers'  anglebead.  Dahlia  stakes  may  be  also 
used  if  unpainted,  but  those  which  have  the  usual  dark  green  colour  are  unsuitable. 

The  reason  for  using  long  stakes  to  mark  out  the  course  of  the  drive  will  be  seen 
immediately  if  we  peg  it  with  short  ones  and  then  substitute  long  ones,  putting  them 
into  the  holes  made  by  the  short  ones.  It  will  be  at  once  apparent  how  much  the 
unevenness  of  the  ground  warps  the  perspective,  so  that  curves  which  look  nice  as  at  first 
pegged  out  would  be  found  to  be  far  too  flat  in  the  hollows  and  too  sharp  on  the 
breast  of  a  hill  when  the  inevitable  grading  is  completed. 

In  order  to  judge  more  correctly  of  the  effect  of  raising  the  surface  of  the  finished 
drive  above  the  natural  level  in  the  hollows,  and  lowering  it  at  the  highest  points,  and 
also  to  test  the  result  of  substituting  even  gradients  for  the  original  rough  hummocks 
covering  rising  ground,  a  further  expedient  may  be  resorted  to.  Having  fixed  the  long 
pegs  in  position,  a  number  of  pieces  of  scarlet  chair  webbing  are  procured,  one  for  each 
peg  and  about  eighteen  inches  or  more  long.  These  are  loosely  knotted  round  each 
peg  so  that  they  can  be  slid  up  and  down,  but  so  that  they  will  remain  where  placed. 
Now  cut  a  piece  off  a  spare  lath  rather  longer  than  the  deepest  cutting  is  expected 
to  be,  and  using  it  as  a  rule,  slide  all  the  pieces  of  webbing  up  or  down  the  stake  until 
they  are  the  height  of  your  measure  above  the  proposed  finished  level  of  the  drive  at 
each  point.  By  running  the  eye  along  the  line  of  red  on  the  stakes,  a  very  approximate 
idea  of  the  ultimate  result  can  be  obtained,  though  due  allowance  must  be  made  for 
the  fact  that  ciirves  will  look  flatter  on  this  single  line  of  pegs  than  they  will  on  a 
drive  of  twelve  feet  or  more  broad.  The  whole  can  then  be  surveyed  and  marked  on 
the  plan,  the  amount  of  cutting  or  filling  at  each  peg  being  noted. 

Of  course  the  above  method  of  working  must  be  subsidiary  to  a  proper  series  of 
sections  prepared  from  measurements  taken  over  the  course  of  the  drive  with  a  surveyor's 
level  and  plotted  on  to  paper  ;  but  unfortunately,  in  ordinary  road  engineering,  practical 
considerations  usually  determine  the  route  and  levels,  while  in  the  case  of  drives,  aesthetic 
factors  must  also  be  considered  so  that  visual  helps  such  as  those  described  must  be 
used  to  assist  the  surveyor's  measurements. 

There  are  two  other  ways  in  which  the  ordinary  methods  of  the  road  or  railway 
engineer  fail  aesthetically  when  applied  to  drives  and  service  roads.  One  relates  to 
the  arrangement  of  his  curves  and  the  other  to  his  gradients.  The  former  are  laid 
down  to  fixed  radii  of  circles  tangent  to  one  another  or  to  intermediate  straight  lines. 
Where  aesthetic  conditions  are  sought,  these  set  radii  must  give  place  to  catenary  curves, 
the  graduated  curves  assumed  by  a  chain  or  rope  when  loosely  suspended  between  two 
points.  The  reason  for  this  is  not  far  to  seek,  for  a  moment's  reflection  will  show  that 
this  is  the  curve  any  wheeled  vehicle  naturally  takes  (unless  running  on  rails),  and 
consequently  is  the  best  to  adopt  practically  as  well  as  aesthetically. 

With  regard  to  levels,  the  railway  engineer's  lines  consist  of  one  straight  gradient, 
or  "  bone "  as  the  workman  will  call  it,  running  into  another  or  into  a  level  stretch, 
and  it  will  invariably  be  found  that,  on  facing  a  rise  where  there  is  a  flatter  gradient 
below  meeting  a  steeper  one  above,  there  will  appear  to  be  a  sunk  place  in  the  surface 
where  the  two  meet,  while  when  the  conditions  are  reversed  and  the  lower  gradient  is 


Practical 
planning 
of  curved 
drives. 


Engineers' 
and  Land- 
scape Arch- 
itects' 
methods 
contrasted. 


DRIVES,    AVENUES,    AND  SERVICE    ROADS. 

the  steeper  one,  the  surface  of  the  drive  will  appear  to  be  raised  too  high  at  the  point 
of  junction.  The  remedy  is  to  plot  all  the  gradients  on  to  the  sections  in  swinging  curves 
at  their  junctions,  at  the  same  time  keeping  changes  in  both  direction  and  gradient  as 

few  as  possible.  The  accompanying  sketch  (111. 
No.  88)  shows,  by  full  lines,  the  engineer's  methods 
in  the  bottom  of  a  hollow  and,  by  dotted  lines, 
how  the  Landscape  Architect  would  alter  them. 

FIG.    oo. 

Probably    the     most     effective     curved    drive     ever 

designed  by  the  author  was  one  something  under  half  a  mile  in  extent  which,  for  its  whole 
length,  was  carried  in  one  long  simple  sweep  round  an  amphitheatre  of  hillside  and  rising 
at  one  gradient  the  whole  way  from  the  entrance  gates  to  the  forecourt  of  the  house. 

The  railway  engineer's  methods  of  working  his  sections  will  also  need  adaptation  to 
the  special  requirements  of  private  road  work.  The  best  way  is  to  take  a  line  of  levels 
along  the  centre  of  the  proposed  route,  and  at  each  point  measured,  to  take  a  level 
on  either  side,  say  fifteen  feet  away  to  right  and  left.  The  three  lines  of  levels  thus 
obtained  are  all  superimposed  over  one  datum  line  in  three  different  coloured  inks,  making 
the  centre  line  the  most  prominent  to  ensure  clearness.  This  method,  of  course,  causes 
a  little  distortion  in  the  lengths  of  the  side  sections  on  the  curved  portions  of  the  drive 
as  they  are  represented  as  being  a  little  longer  than  they  are  on  the  inside  of  a  curve, 
and  are  shortened  on  the  convex  side  of  the  bend.  This,  however,  can  easily  be  allowed 
for  in  calculating  the  proportions  of  cutting  and  filling.  It  has  the  advantage  of 
showing  the  cross-grading  at  every  point  at  a  glance  without  reference  to  the  cross 
sections  usually  prepared  in  such  cases. 

The  writer's  own  method  is  to  plot  the  three  superimposed  sections  to  a  much  larger 
vertical  than  horizontal  scale,  and  then  to  add  the  centre  line  only,  drawn  to  the  same 
scale  as  the  horizontal  measurements,  using  the  same  lines  of  heights  above  the  datum. 
The  arrangement  of  the  surface  levels  can  then  be  proceeded  with  on  the  upper  set  of 
lines,  and  are  afterwards  transferred  to  the  lower  centre  line  as  a  check,  from  which  the 
resulting  gradients  can  be  read  without  calculation.  The  amount  of  cutting  or  filling 
at  any  point  can,  of  course,  be  more  accurately  computed  from  the  higher  set  of  lines. 

Where  the  subsoil  is  of  such  a  nature  that  all  the  roadmaking  materials  can  be 
obtained  in  making  the  excavated  portion  of  the  drive,  the  finished  level  should  be  plotted 
on  to  the  sections,  but  where  these  will  have  to  be  carted  from  a  distance,  the  found- 
ation levels  should  be  laid  down,  thus  allowing  an  equal  amount  of  cutting  and  filling. 
It  would  seem,  at  first  sight,  as  though  rather  more  filling  than  cutting  would  be 
necessary,  as  the  material  used  for  filling  packs  so  much  more  loosely  than  before  being 
disturbed,  even  when  it  has  had  time  to  settle  solid,  but  the  amount  used  in  making 
up  the  banks  on  the  low  side  of  a  cross  slope  will  just  about  absorb  the  surplus  in 
all  ordinary  cases. 

Ease  of  As   to   gradients,    these   should    always  be    as  easy   as    possible.      The   sight   of   horses 

gradient.  struggling  up  a  steep  drive  is  not  conducive  to  that  sense  of  repose  which  it  is  the 
first  object  of  the  garden  designer  to  obtain,  and  even  in  the  case  of  a  motor-car,  slow 
threshing  uphill  on  the  lowest  gear  tends  to  be  irritating. 

As  a  general  rule,  gradients  of  more  than  one  in  twelve  are  to  be  avoided,  though 
the  whole  question  is  relative  to  the  general  contours  of  the  district.  What  is  the  best 
possible  in  one  place  would  be  distinctly  bad  in  another.  In  extreme  instances  in  the 
English  Lake  District,  where  the  residence  may  be  placed  in  an  almost  inaccessible 
position  for  the  sake  of  a  unique  view,  the  writer  has  occasionally  been  compelled  to 
adopt  a  gradient  of  one  in  six-and-a-half  or  seven  for  short  distances.  This  may  be 
taken  as  being  the  steepest  slope  up  which  it  is  possible  to  get  a  heavy  luggage  cart  or 
other  loaded  vehicle. 

76 


DRIVES,    AVENUES,    AND    SERVICE    ROADS. 


FIG.    89. 


FIG.    90. 


The  curved  drive,  running  through  natural  or  park-like  scenery  which  is  most  success- 
ful,  will  be  that  which  is  so  designed  as  to  fall  naturally  and  fittingly  into  its  place  as 

a  part  of  the  general  landscape,  and  which  has  the  appearance 
of  being  planned  on  the  only  possible  lines.  This  means 
that,  in  its  design,  the  two  factors  of  directness  and  ease 
have  been  kept  equally  in  mind  by  its  designer  and  balanced 
one  against  the  other.  In  the  term  "  ease  "  must  be  included 
a  careful  consideration  of  the  contours  of  the  country  through 

which  the  drive  runs  and  making  its  curves  and  gradients  emphasize  its  undulations. 
Any  curve  which  opposes  them  will  strike  the  user  at  once  as  being  in  the  very  worst 
taste  as  well  as  being  constructionally  bad. 

In  most  instances,  the  effort  to  bring  the  course  of  the  drive  into  conformity  with 
the  requirements  of  the  contours  will  result,  at  the  first  attempt,  in  a  series  of  short  and 
somewhat  irritating  curves,  and  it  is  in  the  combination  of  a  number  of  these  into  one 
long,  graceful  sweep,  as  in  the  accompanying  sketch  (111.  No.  89),  that  the  designer's 
artistic  capabilities  will  receive  their  fullest  test.  In  this  important  work,  it  should 
always  be  borne  in  mind  that  both  curves  and  gradients  look 
much  natter  on  paper  than  on  the  ground,  owing  to  the  fore- 
shortening effect  of  perspective,  and  this  is  again  one  of  the 
reasons  why  practical  work  on  the  ground  must  go  hand-in-hand 
with  designing  on  paper,  if  the  best  result  is  to  be  obtained. 

The  junctions  of  curved  drives  with  service  roads  require  very 
careful  adjustment  in  the  gradients  of  each  at  the  point  of 
connection.  All  road  makers  know  the  difficulty  of  joining  the 
varying  gradients  together  satisfactorily,  and  only  very  careful 
attention  to  these  as  the  work  proceeds  can  prevent  an  awkward 

appearance  ;  and  in  the  case  of  the  planning  of  the  connection,  equal  care  is  necessary. 
The  two  roads  must  meet  in  a  natural  and  easy  manner,  or,  to  put  it  technically,  their 
centre  lines  must  be  tangent  to  one  another  at  the  point  of  junction. 

Where  possible,  entirely  separate 
service  roads  should  be  constructed 
for  the  use  of  tradesmen  and  for  the 
necessary  carting  to  the  residence 
and  stables.  Where  this  cannot  be 
provided  and  the  main  drive  serves 
all  purposes  for  a  portion  of  its 
length,  care  should  be  taken  in  the 
design  of  the  connection  with  the 
service  road  that  visitors  cannot 
mistake  it  for  the  main  drive.  This 
may  be  accomplished  by  making  the 
service  road  narrower  than  the  main 
drive,  by  keeping  the  junction  as  far 
from  the  residence  as  possible,  by 
making  the  junction  by  a  sharp 
curve  at  a  point  where  the  drive  is 
fairly  straight,  and  by  planting  the 
space  at  either  side  of  the  junction 
as  shown  in  the  sketch  (No  90). 
Curved  drives  offend  more  often  than  any  other  form  in  being  so  designed  as  to 
minimize  or  even  destroy  all  privacy  in  the  pleasure  grounds.  In  one  instance  in  the 


FIG.  91. 


Effect  of 
curves. 


Junctions. 


Service 
roads. 


Preserva- 
tion of 
privacy. 


77 


DRIVES,    AVENUES,    AND    SERVICE    ROADS. 

writer's  experience  the  drive  was  taken  round  three  sides  of  the  house  to  the  front  door. 
Unless  the  main  entrance  to  the  house  has  been  very  badly  arranged,  there  could  be  no 
excuse  for  this  or  for  so  placing  the  approach  that  it  comes  in  front  of  the  entertaining 
room  windows  or  overlooks  the  lawns  or  flower  gardens.  Even  in  the  worst  cases  a 
screen  hedge  should  be  included  in  the  scheme. 

Double  Double    drives,   enabling   the   traffic   to   return   to   the   highway   without   turning   round 

drives.  in   a   more    or   less    confined    carriage    court,    and    without    having    to    pass    other    vehicles 

proceeding  to  the  house,  are  almost  invariably  curved,  otherwise,  in  most  instances,  in 
looking  along  the  drive,  one  entrance  would  be  visible  from  the  other,  so  destroying  all 
privacy  and  any  attempt  to  create  a  sense  of  breadth  of  treatment.  A  notable  exception 
may  be  made  in  favour  of  those  cases  where  the  house  is  approached  by  an  equal 
amount  of  traffic  from  two  directions,  as  in  the  sketch  (No.  91),  say  from  the  railway 
station  on  the  one  side  and  the  village  or  town  on  the  other. 


GARDENS  ai  BROXD  -  OAKS 
^ACCRNGTON  OHIZIE 

(fir   ^tr  \3eqge  wiaeaipwe  14 lul 


FIG.     92. 

Speaking  generally,  however,  the  double  drive  is  the  prerogative  of  those  houses 
which  stand  in  their  own  grounds  but  which  "are  so  near  a  large  town  that  they  serve 
all  the  purposes  of  a  town  residence,  and  so  on  the  occasions  of  social  functions,  there 
is  a  very  large  amount  of  wheeled  traffic  in  a  short  space  of  time,  and  by  reserving  one 
route  for  arrivals  and  the  other  for  departing  carriages,  confusion  is  avoided.  Such  a 
domain  is  shown  on  the  plan  of  Broad  Oaks,  Accrington,  (No.  92).  Here  the  approaches 
are  treated  in  the  informal  manner  which  best  lends  itself  to  double  drives  on  this 
scale,  while  in  illustration  No.  94,  a  more  formal  arrangement  is  shown. 

Having  decided  the  principle  on  which  the  main  approach  to  the  residence  is  to  be 
laid  out,  whether  as  an  avenue  or  a  formally  or  naturally  treated  drive,  there  are  two 
details  common  to  all  forms  of  approach,  the  planning  of  which  demands  consideration. 


78 


FIG.    93. 


DRIVES,    AVENUES,    AND    SERVICE    ROADS. 

These   are   the   junction   of   the   drive   or   avenue   with   the   public   highway   and   the   angle 
and    position    of    the    drive's    termination    at    the    carriage   court. 

While    the    planning    of    the    carriage    court    and    the    architectural    accessories    and 

furnishings  of  the 
are 
else- 


en  trance 
treated     of 
where,  the  subject 
of  drive  formation 
would  be  very  in- 
complete   without 
some  reference  to 

the    general    arrangement    and    planning    of 
its   terminations. 

For  the  entrance,  most  designers  seem 
to  favour  an  oblique  junction,  making  the 
centre  line  of  the  drive  run  in  the  direction 
of  a  town,  a  railway  station  or  other 
important  place.  Where,  as  in  No.  93 
there  is  a  sufficient  bend  in  the  highway  to 
justify  this  arrangement,  it  may  be  a 
success,  but  when  the  drive  breaks  away 
from  a  straight  road,  the  effect  is  generally 
disappointing. 

An  oblique  junction  is  also  very  un-  Oblique 
suitable  where  the  drive  and  the  highway  entrances. 
approach  one  another  at  very  different 
gradients.  Suppose,  for  instance,  that  in 
illustration  No.  95  the  point  B,  which  is 
forty-three  yards  from  A,  is  also  thirteen 
feet  higher,  and  the  gradient  of  the  high- 
way between  the  points  C  and  B  is  one  in 
twenty,  the  cross  fall  of  the  ground  would 
be  so  considerable  as  to  make  the  entrance 
unsafe  for  carriages.  Of  course  the  ground 
at  A,  could  be  levelled  up,  but  as  this 
would  have  to  be  carried  from  the  point 
of  curvature  of  the  wall  to  a  point  many 
yards  inside  the  gateway,  the  cost  would 
be  heavy  ;  whereas,  half  the  money  spent 

on  this  unsatisfactory  arrangement  would  have  sufficed  for  an  entrance  at  right  angles  to 
the  main  road,  which  would  be  quite  as  impressive  in  line,  and  safer,  provided  of  course 
that  the  gates  could  be  placed  well  back  from  the  main  road. 
The  question  of  safety  should,  of  course,  always  be  para- 
mount, and  in  this  connection  the  coming  of  the  motor-car 
has  effected  many  changes.  Longer  sweeps,  a  broader  outlook 
and  the  avoidance  of  collision  points  are  all  necessary,  while 
the  extra  wear  and  tear  of  tyres  caused  by  turning  at  a  very 
short  radius  also  has  its  influence  in  determining  the  lines  of  FIG  ()5 

the   entrance   sweep.      Whereas    formerly   entrance    gates    were 

set   back    from   the   roadway   fifteen   to   thirty   feet,    nowadays,   thirty   to    sixty    feet,   with 
wing  walls    in  proportion,   is   considered   necessary.      Thus,   entrances   which,   twenty   years 


Safety. 


---c 


79 


Junction  of 
drive  with 
carriage 
court. 


FIG.  96. 


DRIVES,    AVENUES,    AND    SERVICE    ROADS. 

ago,    would   have   been   considered   extravagant    or   even    ostentatious   in    their  proportions, 

to-day   only   meet    actual    needs. 

Apart,  however,  from  questions  of  safety 
and  convenience,  it  is  necessary,  as  has  already 
been  suggested,  that  the  entrance,  especially  if 
near  the  residence,  should  be  planned  strictly 
in  keeping  with  it,  and,  as  a  general  rule,  it- 
may  be  said  that  the  nearer  the  entrance  is  to 
the  house  the  more  dignity  it  should  possess. 
The  relative  importance  of  the  various  entrances 
to  a  large  country  seat  should  also  be  expressed 
in  their  design  and  arrangement,  and  it  is  equally 
necessary  that  there  should  be  nothing  to  clash 
with  beautiful  natural  scenery  where  this  exists. 
As  to  the  approach  to  the  carriage  court, 
whether  the  drive  should  terminate  at  its  side, 
end  or  angle,  depends  partly  upon  the  size  and 

line  of  direction  of  the  court  and  partly  upon   the  architectural  character  and  arrangement 

of  the  house,    whether   it   is   a   perfectly  balanced   and   sym- 
metrical structure  or  a  picturesque,  many  gabled  composition 

without    any    dominant    axis     on    which     to     centre     drive, 

carriage  court  and  gate  piers  as  a  self-contained  and  complete 

entity.      In    any    case,    however,    it    is    wrong    to    enter    the 

court  with  such  a  sharp  curve  as  to  lose  any  comprehensive 

view  of  the  residence  from  lack  of  the  necessary  perspective. 
Here  are  five  examples  of   typical   treatments  from  the 

writer's    recent    work. 

Illustration   No.   99    shows   the  approach  to  a  symmetri- 
cally    planned    dignified    classical    mansion,     having    a    fine 

pillared  portico  on   to  which  the  avenue  centres,   the  double 

line   of   trees  being   set   back   forty   feet   from   the   centre   of 

the  drive  on  either  side,  giving  a  clear  width  of  eighty  feet> 

thus  allowing   a  clear   view   of   the   entrance   facade.      There 

is   a   second    approach    to   the   West    which   centres   on  to  an  arch   leading  to    the  garage, 

over    the    centre     of    which     is    a    clock     cupola. 

No.  96  shows  the  approach  to  a  Scotch 
mansion  which  has  an  imposing  entrance  in 
the  angle  of  the  "L"  shaped  building.  In 
this  instance  the  court  is  enclosed  within  yew 
hedges,  and  the  position  of  the  entrance  has 
given  the  opportunity  for  a  somewhat  unusual 
"arrangement  of  brick  paving  over  a  portion 
of  its  surface. 

No.  97  is  the  approach  to  the  carriage 
court  at  Wood,  South  Tawton,  in  Devonshire, 
a  view  of  which  forms  the  subject  of  the  end 
papers  to  this  book.  In  this  case  there  is  a 
steep  cross  fall  between  the  points  A  and 
B,  on  the  sketch. 

No.    98    shows  the   approach  to  a  type  of  residence  which  is   happily    as  usual  as  it 
is    delightful,   one   which   has  been   built   at    various  periods    in    the   styles  in   vogue    when 


FIG.  97. 


FIG. 


80 


DRIVES,    AVENUES,    AND    SERVICE    ROADS. 

each    new  addition  was  made   and   at  all   angles,   resulting  in  a  haphazard  picturesqueness 

which    resents   any    formal   arrangement  of   drive   or   approach. 

No.  100  shows  a  double  approach  which   enters  a  large  court  from  opposite  directions, 

each  drive,   for   a   distance   of   nearly    a    hundred    yards,    centering   on    the    porte   cochere ; 

while    No.  101  shows   an   important    variant    of 
this  arrangement. 

Having  thus  dealt  with  the  various  forms 
of  drives  and  avenues  and  the  treatment  of 
their  terminations,  a  few  remarks  on  those 
methods  of  construction  common  to  them  all 
may  be  given. 

Materials  vary  very  greatly  in  different 
parts  of  the  country,  and  in  all  cases  the  best 
must  be  made  of  those  available  locally,  for 
the  cost  of  importing  the  one  hundred  tons  or 
more  of  stone  required  for  even  a  short  drive 
would  be  quite  prohibitive,  though  in  extremely 
important  cases,  where  the  traffic  will  be  very 
heavy,  it  might  be  advisable  to  obtain  Mount 
Sorrel  or  Aberdeen  granite  for  the  sub-surface 

as    the    truest    economy    in    the    long    run. 

Whatever   the   material   however,    the   various   processes  of  construction  will  be  much 

the  same.       When   the   ground   has    been    made  up    to    the    required    levels   and   gradients 

by  'cutting   through   the   higher  parts  and  filling  deep  hollows   and   the   "  made  "   portions 


FIG.    99. 


FIG.    IOO. 


FIG.    IOI. 


have  had  time  to  consolidate,  a  layer  of  broken  stone  in  large  pieces,  where  possible  from 
six  to  nine  inches  in  diameter,  is  laid  over  the  whole  width.  This  is  known  as  the 
"  pitching,"  and  there  are  two  varieties,  viz.  : — rough  pitching  and  hand  pitching.  The 
former  is  the  more  quickly  done  but  absorbs  the  more  material  and  consists  of  tilting 
the  stuff  out  of  carts  on  to  the  place  it  is  to  occupy,  and  going  over  it  with  a  hammer 
and  levelling  down  and  breaking  up  any  pieces  which  are  much  larger  than  the  rest, 
when  it  is  considered  to  be  ready  for  the  sub-surface  material.  In  the  latter  method, 
each  piece  of  pitching  material  is  placed  by  hand,  giving  the  unfinished  drive  the  appear- 
ance of  having  been  very  roughly  paved.  Where  material  is  plentiful,  the  former 


Materials. 


Pitching. 


81 


DRIVES,    AVENUES,    AND    SERVICE    ROADS. 

method  will  be   best,    but   where  it   is   expensive    or    difficult    to   obtain,    the   latter  is   the 
more  economical,   particularly  as  it  allows   of  a   saving  in  the   subsequent   operations. 
Peaty  The  success   of  the   pitching  depends   almost  entirely   on   getting  a   good  firm   bottom 

subsoils.  on  which   to  put    it.      In   most   districts   this    is    easily    obtained   by   removing    a   foot    or 

so  of  turf,  soil,  fibrous  matter,  etc.,  from  the  site,  but  in  others,  where  the  ground  is 
very  wet  and  peaty,  or  where,  as  in  many  parts  of  Sussex,  the  subsoil  is  pure  light  sand, 
means  must  be  taken  to  insure  that  it  will  not  work  up  between  the  pitching  and  so 
destroy  the  work,  as  it  otherwise  would  in  the  course  of  a  few  weeks,  through  the  agency 
of  wheeled  traffic,  if  means  were  not  taken  to  prevent  this.  In  the  case  of  a  peaty 
subsoil,  where  this  is  only  shallow,  by  far  the  cheapest  method  is  to  remove  it  entirely 
and  fill  up  with  dry,  clean  rubbish,  adding  a  proper  system  of  land  drains,  even  though 
this  may  mean  a  rather  heavy  initial  expense.  Where  the  peat  is  too  deep  for  this, 
it  must  be  thoroughly  drained,  and  both  here  and  in  the  case  of  light  sand,  a  layer  of 
brushwood,  broom,  or  other  tough  fibre,  laid  under  the  pitching,  will  keep  everything 
in  place,  until  time  and  the  hammering  of  the  traffic  have  together  thoroughly  consolidated 
the  whole  construction.  In  some  districts,  such  as  North  Hertfordshire,  pitching  of  any 
sort  is  dispensed  with,  and  a  layer  of  chalk  substituted,  but  this  is  a  material  which 
needs  very  careful  using,  for  in  other  districts  where  its  physical  properties  are  not  quite 
the  same,  a  sticky,  putty-like  substance  would  ooze  up  between  the  stones  and  ruin  the 
whole.  Brick  bats  and  old  building  rubbish,  if  clean,  make  good  pitching  where  stone 
is  not  available,  and  the  writer  has  made  good  public  park  roads  with  a  foundation  of 
the  broken  crockery,  etc.,  from  the  works  in  the  Pottery  Districts.  It  will  thus  be 
seen  that  in  drive  formation  there  is  scope  for  much  ingenuity  combined  with  a 
knowledge  of  local  conditions. 

The  pitching  having  been  laid,  a  solid  foundation  is  formed  on  which  to  put  the 
surface  material  of  the  drive.  This  is  usually  of  two  kinds,  which  may  be  described 
as  the  sub-surface  material  and  the  grouting.  The  former  consists  of  stone  broken  to 
pass  through  a  sieve  with  a  two-inch  mesh,  and  the  latter  is  either  finely-broken  stone 
used  to  fill  in  between  the  sub-surface  material  and  form  a  smooth  surface,  or  it  is 
material  added  to  cement  the  whole  together.  Undoubtedly  the  best  materials  are  those 
which  make  their  own  grout,  that  is  to  say  those  of  a  tough  but  not  brittle  consistency 
which,  when  rolled,  make  a  cement-like  detritus  which  itself  acts  as  a  grout.  The  best 
of  these  is  the  magnesian  lime-stone  so  largely  used  throughout  the  Lake  District,  but 
all  lime-stones  are  by  no  means  so  good.  Some  make  the  dustiest  and  muddiest  roads 
in  the  kingdom.  Such  materials  as  granite  or  flints  need  an  added  grout,  and  probably 
the  best  in  most  cases  is  formed  of  road  scrapings,  while  another  often  used  is  composed 
of  garden  loam.  If  the  sub-surface  material  is  formed  from  rounded  stones  from  a 
watercourse  or  sea  shore,  they  must  each  be  broken  at  least  once,  even  if  this  makes 
them  rather  too  small,  otherwise  the  whole  will  not  bind  together  into  a  solid  mass  and 
horses'  feet  will  be  continually  loosening  rounded  pieces  of  material.  Where  a  drive 
is  being  made  to  lead  to  a  new  house,  it  is  a  good  plan  to  make  it  up  roughly  before 
building  operations  commence,  and  then  to  insert  a  clause  in  the  main  contract,  making 
the  contractor  responsible  for  its  being  left  by  him  in  as  good  a  condition  as  he  finds  it. 
This  means  that  all  the  heavy  carting  materials  for  the  house  will  be  done  over  it,  and 
thus  it  will  be  thoroughly  consolidated  and  any  weak  points  will  show  themselves,  and  be 
filled  in  with  building  rubbish,  often  several  times,  until  they  are  made  good  and  solid. 
When  the  heavy  carting  is  finished,  a  most  exceptionally  good  sound  foundation  for  the 
drive  will  remain,  which  will  only  need  the  surface  repairing. 

Rolling.  At   every   stage   in   its   construction,    the   drive   should   be   rolled   with   a   fairly   heavy 

roller,  the  weight  of  which  will  depend  on  the  amount  of  pounding  the  material  will 
stand,  without  either  breaking  up  or  being  driven  into  the  subsoil,  and,  in  the  case  of  a 


Sub-surface 
material. 


82 


DRIVES,    AVENUES,    AND    SERVICE    ROADS. 


drive   to  be   used  by   motor   traffic,   it   is  particularly   desirable   that   it   should   be   finished 
with    a   light    steam    roller. 

All  drives  should  be  "  crowned "  or  raised  in  the  centre  and  sloped  away  at  the 
sides  in  order  to  throw  off  rain  water,  which  would  otherwise  soak  into  the  surface  and 
disintegrate  it.  Where  the  drive  is  hand  pitched,  by  far  the  best  way  is  to  form  the 
crown  in  the  subsoil  before  commencing  the  pitching  and  to  keep  each  layer  of  material 
the  same  thickness  throughout,  but  where  it  is  rough  pitched  this  is  not  so  important. 
A  good  general  rule  is  to  make  the  drive  with  a  crown  which  raises  the  centre  one 
inch  for  every  two  and  a  half  feet  of  width  from  crown  to  side.  Thus  a  drive  twelve 
feet  broad  would  round  up  to  the  centre  nearly  three  inches,  and  one  of  eighteen  feet 
nearly  four  inches.  Here  again,  however,  local  conditions  and  the  relative  absorbency 
of  the  material  used  must  be  taken  into  consideration.  For  the  sake  of  cyclists  especi- 
ally, but  also  for  other  fast  traffic,  it  is  better  that,  where  the  drive  curves,  and  especi- 
ally where  the  curve  is  sharp,  the  camber  should  be  carried  straight  across  the  drive, 
making  the  inside  of  the  curve  the  lower  and  the  outside  the  higher  point.  This  is 
particularly  necessary  where  the  drive  curves  to  the  right  as  one  goes  down-hill,  where 
it  would,  of  course,  necessitate  a  special  arrangement  of  the  catchpits. 

While  there  are  many  drives  in  this  country  where  to  provide  catchpits  would  be 
a  waste  of  money,  there  are  an  infinitely  greater  number  which  are  a  perpetual  annoyance 
to  the  estate  workmen  and  a  continual  expense  to  the  owner,  all  for  the  lack  of  a  few 
well-placed  drains 
to  prevent  heavy 
rains  from  scour- 
ing the  surface. 
No  hard-and-fast 
rules  can  be  laid 
down  for  the  plac- 
ing of  these,  but 
of  course,  the 
steeper  the  drive 
is,  the  more  will 
be  necessary.  The 
grate  should  be 
twelve  inches  by 
eight  inches  with 
the  bars  curved  to 
make  it  hollow 
towards  the  cen- 
tre and  with  a 
lip  standing  above 
the  level  of  the 
frame  at  the  lower  «--  ^ 
end  to  check  any  tendency  for  the  water  to  shoot  right  over  it.  The  chamber  under 
the  grate  may  be  built  of  dry  bricks,  i.e.,  without  mortar  or  cement,  and,  to  carry  the 
water  away,  stoneware  pipes  are  better  than  earthenware,  except  where  laid  exceptionally 
deep,  as  the  latter  are  more  apt  to  be  broken  by  the  traffic  passing  over.  Where  the 
drive  is  at  all  steep,  they  should  have  channels  at  the  sides  to  withstand  the  wash  of 
rapidly  running  storm  water.  Undoubtedly  the  most  aesthetic  method  of  providing  these 
is  by  cobble  paving,  as  in  illustration  No.  102,  where  this  method  would  be  in  keeping 
with  local  characteristics,  as  in  a  district  where  flints  abound,  or  where  cobble  paving 
is  much  used  in  the  older  building  works,  while  in  a  brick  district  a  channel  constructed 


Crowning. 


CUT     THROUGH     SOLID     ROCK. 


Catchpits . 


Width  of 

drives. 


Cross  levels. 


Fencing  of 
steep  banks 


DRIVES,    AVENUES,    AND    SERVICE    ROADS. 

of  ordinary  stock  bricks  looks  as  well  as  anything.  Where  the  rush  of  water  is  likely 
to  be  at  all  great,  either  cobbles  or  brick  should  be  laid  in  cement,  and  this  is  at  all 
times  the  best  method  in  the  former  material,  as  otherwise  the  numerous  joints  will 
grow  a  crop  of  weeds,  which  will  involve  many  hours'  labour  in  the  Spring  and  early 
Summer. 

The  widths  of  drives  must  again  depend  on  many  circumstances,  and  do  not  admit 
of  solution  by  the  application  of  preconceived  dogmatic  formulae,  but  in  no  case,  except 
where  the  drive  is  a  mere  carriage  sweep  of  a  few  feet  long,  should  it  be  less  than  about 
twelve  feet  broad,  while  for  drives  over  two  hundred  yards  long  which  are  likely  to  be 
used  constantly,  sixteen  feet  is  the  best  width.  It  would  seem  almost  unnecessary  to 
state  that  the  same  width-  should  be  carefully  adhered  to  throughout  the  whole  length 
of  the  drive  unless  under  special  circumstances,  but  observation  shows  how  very  few 
drives  do  this,  giving  the  whole  a  ragged  effect  which  no  amount  of  care  for  the  surface 
or  verges  can  possibly  remove.  It  has  already  been  stated  that  the  width  of  service 
roads  should  be  carefully  proportioned  to  that  of  the  main  drive.  They  may  be  any- 
thing from  eight  feet  wide  upwards,  this  being  the  narrowest  roadway  which  will  take 
an  ordinary  tradesman's  cart. 

The  whole  effect  of  a  well-planned  drive  may  be  ruined  by  neglect  of  the  banks 
at  its  sides  where  there  has  been  interference  with  the  natural  levels  of  the  ground.  The 
artistic  management  of  cross  levels  demands  greater  attention  than  is  usually  bestowed 
upon  it,  and  this  is  particularly  so  where,  to  insure  an  easy  gradient,  the  drive  follows 
a  winding  course  through  an  undulating  park,  sometimes  entailing  a  deep  cutting  and 
at  others  an  equally  deep  filling,  or  where  it  encircles  a  hill  with  a  cutting  on  the  high 
side  and  a  fill  on  the  lower.  In  any  of  these  cases  there  should  be  a  level  verge  on 
either  side  of  the  drive  at  least  two  and  a  half  feet  broad  with  the  bank  beyond  it 
arranged  in  reversed  or  "  O.G."  curves  to  connect  with  the  natural  levels  (111.  Nos. 
103  and  104) . 


FIG.    IO3. 


FIG.    104. 


The  protection  of  drives  where  there  are  steep  falling  banks  on  one  or  both  sides 
is  often  necessary,  for  horses  sometimes  become  very  nervous  when  passing  along  them 
for  the  first  time.  A  simple  horizontal  bar  about  three  feet  three  inches  from  the  ground 
and  supported  at  intervals  of  about  ten  feet  by  a  stout  post  will  provide  all  that  is 
necessary  to  give  an  assurance  of  safety. 

The  planting  of  the  banks  of  drives  and  the  treatment  of  their  terminations,  are 
referred  to  in  another  chapter. 


84 


o 


cr. 

w 

ft! 


CHAPTER     VII. 

Very  gratefully  do  the  average  mind  and  eye  accept  the  steadying  foreground  stroke 
and  clean-cut  measuring  line  secured  by  the  levelled  areas  and  symmetrically  planned 
walls  or  banks  of  a  well-balanced  terrace  scheme,  against  which  to  measure  the  freer 
effects  of  foliage  and  the  imaginative  mellowness  of  distances. 

There  are,  of  course,  many  capacious  minds  true  to  the  characteristics  of  the  rough- 
and-tumble  Briton,  whose  ideal  is  absence  of  regularity,  and  who  prefer  that  everything 
shall  be  spontaneous,  fresh  and  warm  from  the  fountain,  with  nothing  in  any  sense 
of  the  word  conventionalized.  Whatever  the  personal  preference  however,  it  may  be 
taken  as  an  axiom  that  the  immediate  surroundings  of  an  English  home  must,  before 
all  things,  possess  and  express  a  spirit  of  restfulness,  a  quality  which  is  generally 
secured  most  effectively  by  means  of  a  more  or  less  formal  terrace  scheme. 

Although  some  form  of  terrace  is  shown  in  connection  with  nearly  all  the  gardens 
illustrated  in  this  work,  it  is  not  intended  to  insist  on  this  feature  as  a  necessity.  There 
are  notable  instances  where  there  is  no  regular  terrace  scheme,  but  every  landscape  architect 
whose  work  has  obtained  recognition  agrees  that,  in  all  but  the  most  exceptional  cases, 
to  give  a  proper  connection  between  the  house  and  garden,  a  formal  arrangement  near 
the  house  is  essential,  and  domestic  architects  who  have  undertaken  the  design  of  the 
garden  have  always  made  the  terrace  an  important  part  of  their  scheme. 

A  terrace  is  considered  by  most  people  as  a  raised  platform,  often  a  mere  strip 
of  walk  some  eight  or  ten  feet  wide,  occupying  the  ground  between  the  house  and  garden, 
the  purpose  of  which  is  not  very  clear,  as  it  can  scarcely  be  considered  as  a  part  of 
the  garden  scheme  and  the  residence  apparently  disowns  it. 

It  is  not  in  this  restricted  sense  that  I  propose  to  deal  with  its  design  and  construc- 
tion, but  rather  as  the  whole  plateau  on  which  the  house  stands,  together  with  the  level 
enclosures  referred  to  elsewhere  as  outdoor  apartments,  forming  a  part  of  the  archi- 
tectural scheme.  These,  in  many  cases,  include,  in  addition  to  the  main  terrace  a 
series  of  flower  gardens  at  varying  levels,  each  portion  so  arranged  as  to  be  com- 
plementary to  the  others  and  the  whole  forming  one  comprehensive  plan. 

The  terrace  scheme  being  in  such  close  contact  with  the  residence,  and  probably 
the  most  prominent  feature  in  the  more  ornamental  portion  of  the  grounds,  it  is  neces- 
sary that,  in  desiging  a  new  garden,  it  should  have  consideration  before  other  portions 
are  dealt  with.  While  the  terrace  cannot  be  divorced  from  them,  but  must  be  designed 
in  relation  to  them,  it  will  usually  be  found  that,  at  the  same  time,  its  design  very 
largely  decides  the  main  lines  of  the  whole  scheme  so  far  as  they  are  not  already  fixed 
by  the  contours  and  other  natural  features  of  the  site.  To  what  a  great  extent  this  is 
true  will  be  at  once  evident  on  examining  the  accompanying  plan  of  gardens  at  Angle- 
villiare,  near  Paris,  designed  by  the  Author  (111.  No.  107).  Here  vistas  of  paved  walk, 


Restful 
effect  of 
terraces. 


Terrace  not 

always 

necessary. 


.Esthetic 
purpose  of 
the  terrace. 


Terraces 
dominate 
entire 
scheme. 


87 


TERRACES  AND  TERRACE  GARDENS. 

flower  garden,  ornamental  water  and  green  glade  all  centre  on  and  have  their  purpose 
in  connection  with  the  terrace  scheme. 

The  methods  to  be  adopted  in  this  important  work  have  already  been  briefly 
indicated  in  Chapter  III.  As  is  there  explained,  the  terrace  being  the  centre  round  which 
the  pleasure  grounds  or  woodlands  are  arranged,  attention  would  first  be  directed  to 
discovering  and  framing  those  features  visible  from  it  which  have  in  them  the  elements 
of  the  picturesque,  or  which  in  any  way  give  character  and  individuality  to  the  site. 
"  Nothing,"  says  Sedding,  "  is  prettier  than  a  vista  through  the  smooth-shaven  green 
alley  or  an  archway  framing  a  view  of  the  country  beyond,"  and  it  is  for  the  creation 
of  such  effects  that  the  designer  must  aim  in  the  arrangement  of  his  terraces  and  par- 
ticularly their  steps  and  the  placing  of  seats,  arbours  or  bastions  so  as  to  emphasize 
them  when  created,  at  the  same  time  taking  care  that  the  balance  and  symmetry  of 
the  scheme  as  a  whole  are  not  endangered  in  the  treatment  of  individual  features. 
Adapting  The  points  of '  special  interest  having  been  noted  we  may  proceed  to  arrange  the 

terrace  widths   and   levels   of   the   various   terrace   plateaux  on   an   axial   section   line  such   as   that 

levels  to  fall  described  in  Chapter  III.,  and  shown  in  illustration  No.  12.  The  resulting  areas  having 
of  ground.  been  pegged  on  to  the  ground,  a  "  grid  "  of  levels  should  be  taken  at  points  either  ten, 
twenty-five  or  fifty  feet  apart  over  the  whole  of  each  of  them  and  an  average  struck 
which  will  more  accurately  determine  the  finished  level  of  each  portion  of  the  scheme. 
Where  the  filled-up  portion  of  the  terrace  is  supported  by  a  retaining  wall,  the  fact 
that  the  excavated  material  will  occupy  more  space  than  it  did  before  removal  must 
be  taken  into  account,  but  where  grass  slopes  are  formed  where  the  level  of  the  ground 
is  raised,  this  will  not  be  necessary  as  the  amount  of  surplus  material  will  be  just  about 
enough  to  make  up  the  slopes. 

Termina-  More    terrace    schemes    fail    through    the    lack    of    decisive    and    marked    terminations 

lions  of  than   from   any   other  cause.      While  a  bold   and   effective  treatment    may   be  given   them 

terraces.  in  their   relation   to    the  main    facade  of  the  house,   and   the   whole   scheme  is  centralized 

by  the  planning   and   scale   of  symmetrically  placed   steps  and   bastions,    the   ends   of    the 

terrace    are    allowed   to    :'  fade    away "    as   it    were    into    the    less    conventionally    planned 

portions  of  the  grounds.  In 
many  cases  it  has  obviously 
been  felt  that  all  was  not  as 
it  should  be,  and  additional 
central  features,  such  as 
heavy  and  over-elaborated 
flights  of  steps,  are  added  so 
that  the  eye  is  drawn  away 
from  the  weak  extremities. 
Such  palliatives  are,  of  course, 
worse  than  useless,  and 
nothing  but  full  recognition 
of  the  fact  that  the  strongly 
marked  cross  lines  of  the 
terrace  balustrade  and  paths 
themselves  form  a  vista, 
which  must  be  appropriately 

closed  at  its  termination,  can  supply  a  corrective.  In  the  plan  of  the  gardens  just  referred 
to  (No.  10),  the  door  to  the  kitchen  garden  would  be  so  designed  as  to  supply  the 
necessary  emphasis,  and  in  other  cases  a  small  arbour,  a  boldly  proportioned  bastion,  a 
seat  with  a  little  pentroof  over  it  backed  against  the  wall,  or  a  circular  seat  like  that 
shown  in  (No.  106),  with  a  screen  hedge  behind,  might  be  substituted. 


FIG.    106. — THE    END    OF   THE    BOWLING    GREEN,    FOOTS   CRAY    PLACE. 


88 


TERRACES     AND     TERRACE     GARDENS. 


HOUSE  w  GARDENS 


FIG.   107. 


TERRACES    AND    TERRACE    GARDENS. 


Widths  of 
terraces. 


pies. 


Much  space  has  been  devoted  by  writers  on  garden  design  to  the  length  and  width  of 
terrace  gardens,  but,  as  will  be  seen  from  what  has  been  already  said,  this  is  a  question 
which  very  largely  decides  itself.  Except  where  a  raised  plateau  is  being  specially 
made  on  an  entirely  flat  site,  on  which  to  place  the  house,  it  will  be  governed  by  the 
contours  considered  in  relation  to  the  height  which  is  desirable  for  the  retaining  walls. 

.  For  instance,  if  the  average  fall 

,  _88-0-_        +_  »•,-_  I*  m     No.      108      is     one     in     fifteen,     and 

i ^H"  ^aUte—  *t  ig  decided  that  retaining  walls  can- 

'  *^r  FIG.  108.  n°t  be  made  higher  than  will  support  a 

bank  of  earth  four  and  a  half  feet  high 

without  appearing  clumsy,  the  result  will  be  as  shown,  and  the  proportions  between 
the  widths  of  the  two  terraces  will  also  be  fixed  between  very  narrow  limits,  for  moving 
the  upper  terrace  wall  would  immediately  throw  the  finished  level  too  high  or  too  low 
in  relation  to  the  floor  level  of  the  house.  The  broader  the  terraces  on  a  given  slope 
the  higher  the  terrace  walls,  and  so  it  becomes  a  question  of  so  adjusting  the  breadths 
as  to  guard  against  crampedness  on  the  one  hand  and  repellent-looking  engineering  feats 
in  the  walls  and  their  steps  which  may  look  too  much  like  fortifications  if  too  deep  and 
heavy.  In  those  exceptional  cases,  however,  where  the  conditions  allow  a  choice  of  widths, 
the  terrace  next  to  a  mansion  of  average  height  and  frontage  should  not  be  less  than 
twenty-five  feet  wide,  while  for  the  lower  terraces,  one  hundred  and  twenty  feet  by  sixty 
feet,  or  larger  in  the  same  proportions,  will  generally  be  found  suitable. 

Only  by  adapting  the  terraces  to  the  natural  levels  of  the  ground  can  we  secure 
that  restfulness  and  harmony  between  the  home  and  the  landscape  which  are  so  desirable, 
and  obtain  harmonious  composition  whether  they  are  viewed  from  the  mansion  or  sur- 
:ounding  gardens.  Any  attempt  to  act  independently  of  the  contours  will  result  in 
giving  the  whole  an  air  of  artificiality  which  will  be  instinctively  felt  by  the  beholder 
without  his  being  able  exactly  to  account  for  it. 


r  CKIM4LEMIKE 

FIG.     109. 

The  importance  of  fitting  the  house  and  garden  to  the  natural  contours  of  the 
ground  is  shown  on  illustration  No.  10.  Here  each  of  the  four  garden  levels  can  be  seen 
from  the  window  of  the  great  hall,  while  on  the  North  side  the  kitchen  garden  is 
hidden,  with  the  exception  of  the  central  walk,  between  the  herbaceous  borders.  On  this 
site  the  cross  fall  is  fairly  even,  but  in  the  greater  number  of  cases  the  falls  or  rises 
are  at  varying  angles  and  gradients  on  each  side  of  the  house. 


90 


TERRACES  AND  TERRACE  GARDENS. 


In  some  cases  the  terraces  may  even  rise  from  the  house  on  one  side  while  they 
fall  on  another,  as  at  Blicking  Hall  and  Tissington  and  partly  at  Haddon  Hall,  or  as 
at  Graythwaite  Hall  (No.  399),  and  again  at  Wood,  in  North  Devonshire  (No.  409). 
Everything  depends  on  the  natural  fall  of  the  ground. 

Although  terraces  are  usually  level,  circumstances  may  sometimes  arise  which  will  Terraces 
allow  them  to  follow  to  a  limited  extent  the  slope  of  a  steep  hill,  as  in  the  hillside  with  «  cross 
garden  designed  for  Henry  Martin,  Esq.,  of  Windermere  (111.  Nos.  109  and  no).  Again, 
on  very  steep  hillsides,  or  where  the  whole  face  of  the  country  for  a  mile  or  more  in 
each  direction  slopes  all 
one  way,  a  terrace 
finished  to  a  true  level 
would  appear  to  dip 
into  the  ground  on  the 
side  which  originally  was 
highest,  to  rectify  which 
it  may  be  necessary  to 
give  the  surface  a  slight 
cross  fall  of,  say,  one  foot 
in  fifty  in  the  direction 
of  the  slope  of  the  hill- 
side on  which  it  stands. 
In  fact,  there  are  few 
terraces,  even  where  the 
ground  below  them 
slopes  only  slightly, 
which  would  not  be 
improved  by  a  drop  of 
a  few  inches  from  the 
side  nearest  the  house 
to  the  retaining  wall. 
As,  however,  the  greater 
part  of  the  filled-up 
portion  is  on  the  side 
farthest  from  the  house, 
this  is  a  matter  which 
usually  takes  care  of 
itself,  for  after  the 
ground  has  been  made 
as  solid  as  possible  and 
paved  or  gravelled  to  a 
truly  level  surface  a 
little  settlement  in  the 

filled  portions  is  sure  to  take  place.  Nevertheless,  every  effort  should  br  made  to  get  the 
ground  solid  before  finishing  the  surface,  or  the  settlement  may  be  excessive.  In  some 
districts  this  is  best  done  by  watering  with  a  hose,  but  in  most  materials,  ramming 
must  be  resorted  to.  Even  after  thoroughly  ramming  or  watering,  or  both,  time  must  be 
allowed  to  elapse  before  the  surface  is  made  up,  and  some  settlement  may  go  on  for 
twelve  months  or  more  where  the  filling  is  deep  or  the  material  contains  much  fibrous 
or  other  organic  matter. 

The  various  levels  of  a  terrace  scheme   having   been   decided    upon    it    becomes   neces- 
sary  to    consider    the    treatment    of    the    lines  of    division  between  one  level  and  another. 


FIG.    110. — TERRACED    EFFECT    ON    A    STEEP    HILLSIDE. 


TERRACES  AND  TERRACE  GARDENS. 


Grass  banks 
or  walls. 


jo- a'       — 


FIG.    III. 


Treatment 
of  terrace 
walls 


There  are    numerous   ways    of    doing    this,    but    either    walls    or    grass  banks  are    the   ones 
usually    adopted. 

Grass  banks  have  the  advantage  as  regards  first  cost,  but,  on  the  other  hand,  there  is 
the  constant  cost  of  upkeep  to  be  considered,  which  may  make  the  wall  really  cheaper  in  the 
end.  Where  grass  banks  are  adopted,  they  should  slope  at  an  angle  which  will  give  a  rise 
of  one  foot  in  every  two  feet  of  horizontal  breadth.  Not  only  is  this  a  most  convenient 
slope  to  fit  steps  to,  but  a  steeper  bank  is  very  apt  to  "  burn  "  in  hot  weather,  that  is 

to  say,  it  is  so  naturally  dry 
that  the  grass  is  scorched 
and  deadened.  On  the 
other  hand,  a  natter  bank 
is  apt  to  give  a  very  un- 
decided line  of  demarcation 
between  the  levels  it 
separates.  ^Esthetic  considerations  are  usually  all  in  favour  of  a  wall.  Not  only  is  a  flower 
bed  difficult  to  arrange  satisfactorily  at  the  foot  of  a  slope,  but  the  bank  will  usually 
remain  a  bare  expanse  of  shaven  grass  and  therefore  not  be  sufficiently  differentiated 
from  the  lawns  above  and  below,  whereas  the  wall  would  very  soon  be  garnished  with  a  mass 
of  roses  and  other  free-flowering  climbers.  Where  the  difference  of  level  between  the  two 
terraces  is  unusual  in  either  way,  a  wall  is  again  indicated,  for  very  deep  banks  are 
difficult  to  mow  and  very  shallow  ones  are 
ineffective.  Quite  a  terraced  effect  can  be 
got  with  a  difference  of  level  of  as  little  as 
one  foot,  if  supported  by  a  dwarf  wall  with 
the  coping  standing  about  six  inches  above 
the  higher  ground  level,  but  with  a  grass 
bank  such  a  slight  rise  would  usually  be 
almost  entirely  lost.  Such  a  wall  may  be  seen 
on  the  plan  of  a  garden  at  Berkhamstead, 
shown  in  illustration  No.  385.  In  many  cases, 
again,  the  amount  of  ground  occupied  by  a 
bank  is  a  consideration.  If  a  wall  is  sub- 
stituted it  can  be  saved  for  a  broad  border 
at  its  foot  (see  111.  No.  in). 

Most  garden  lovers  prefer  a  wall  over- 
grown with  climbers,  yet  are  deterred  from 
erecting  one,  fearful  of  incurring  the  cost  of 
such  a  feature,  and  therefore  adopt  a  slope 
laid  down  with  grass,  or  planted  either  in 
an  informal  manner  or  with  a  variety  of 
shrubs.  The  cost  of  a  wall,  however,  depends 
entirely  on  its  elaboration  and  enrichment. 
If  the  architectural  character  of  the  house 
demands  in  its  immediate  vicinity  a  pierced 
or  balustraded  finish,  which  of  itself  may 
cost  twenty  shillings  per  foot  run  or  even  more  for  the  pierced  work  only,  the  outlay, 
for  an  extent  of  wall  so  erected,  would,  of  course,  be  heavy,  but  there  are  comparatively 
few  occasions  on  which  such  elaboration  would  be  in  keeping  with  the  architecture. 

Where  they  are  not  discordant  with  the  scale  and  effect  of  the  house,  terrace  walls 
of  simple  design,  built  in  local  material,  may  often  answer  all  purposes  more  effectively 
than  elaborate  erections,  and,  when  covered  with  hardy  climbers,  look  equally  interesting, 


FIG.    112. 


TERRACES  AND  TERRACE  GARDENS. 


o 


W 

<A 
W 


O 


o 
w 

CQ 


o 

M 


H 

< 

CA) 


H 


93 


Height  of 
walls. 


Balustraded 
walls 


Harmony 
with 

residence 
necessary. 


TERRACES  AND  TERRACE  GARDENS. 

or  even  more  so  than  any  other.  Illustrations  Nos.  112,  113  and  114  demonstrate '  this 
point.  The  first  shows  a  terrace  wall  in  brick  in  the  Home  Counties,  and  the  other  two, 
how  well  the  black  slate  of  the  Lake  District,  with  its  necessarily  massive  construction, 
harmonizes  with  its  rugged  surroundings.  Most  of  the  terrace  walls  designed  in  connection 
with  the  gardens  illustrated  in  this  work  are  finished  with  a  simple  flag  coping.  Some 
have  battered  walls,  and  others  have  the  surface  broken  up  by  pilasters  or  by  sloping 
buttresses  with  balls  or  sugar-loaf  finials  over  each  buttress  and  lead  urns  or  large  vases 
to  mark  the  sides  of  steps  or  angles.  A  retaining  wall  with  the  coping  only  a  few 
inches  above  the  inside  ground  level  is  usually  sufficient  where  the  difference  in  the  levels  is 
not  more  than  three  feet  six  inches,  while  for  cases  where  the  difference  is  greater,  some  form 
of  protecting  wall  or  balustrade,  such  as  those  shown  in  illustrations  Nos.  118  and  ng,  is 
necessary.  There  are  cases  where  there  is  not  justification  for  a  balustraded  wall  and  yet 
the  terrace  looks  unfinished  without  it.  In  such  instances,  a  hedge  of  yew,  privet  or 
cotoneaster,  planted  close  inside  the  dwarf  wall,  trimmed  perfectly  square  and  kept  quite 
low,  will  be  useful. 

The  height  of  walls  above  the  finished  ground  level  on  the  higher  side  may  vary 
from  the  dwarf  wall  just  considered  up  to  three  feet  three  inches,  the  latter  being  known 
as  :<  leaning  height."  Unless  the  fall  to  the  lower  terrace  exceeds  six  feet,  the  best 
height  for  a  solid  wall  is  seventeen  inches  or  "  sitting  height,"  while,  for  deeper  terraces. 
it  is  safer  to  make  it  from  thirty-three  to  thirty-nine  inches  high. 

Pierced  or  balustraded  walls  are  seldom  a  necessity.  In  their  favour  it  may  be 
urged  that,  independent  of  the  architectural  effect,  they  add  to  the  beauty  of  a  terrace  by 
allowing  more  to  be  seen  of  lower  lawns  and  flower  gardens  than  do  solid  walls.  When 
the  terraces  are  formed  on  the  side  of  a  steep  hill  and  are  therefore  necessarily  narrow 
and  deep,  as  in  illustrations  Nos.  116  and  117,  the  openings  allow  more  of  each  level 
to  be  seen,  and  when  viewed  towards  the  house,  they  prevent  the  garden  from  appearing 
as  though  entirely  formed  of  walls. 

A  terrace  wall  cannot,  however,  be  considered  as  a  feature  separate  and  distinct 
from  the  architecture  of  the  residence.  A  brick  or  stone  mansion  in  the  style  and 
of  the  period  of  Inigo  Jones,  or  a  modern  residence  in  which  stone  and  brick  are 
combined  in  the  same  way,  require  similar  terraces.  If  stone  dressings  are  used  in 
the  house  they  must  also  be  used  in  the  terrace  walls  ;  they  might  not  extend  beyond 
the  quoins  and  coping,  but  in  some  form  they  are  necessary  to  secure  harmony. 

Simplicity  is  to  be  aimed  at,  yet  there  are  many  instances  in  which  it  is  necessary 
to  use  ornament.  The  charming  examples  of  balustraded  walls  at  Montacute,  Brympton, 
Wilton,  Haddon,  etc.,  are  each  indispensable  to  the  success  of  and  show  a  pleasing 
fitness  to  the  garden  they  adorn.  Pierced  walls  accord  with  houses  which  are  light 
in  design,  like  some  of  the  later  Tudor  residences,  while  iron  bays  between  stone  piers 
often  form  the  best  balustrade  to  a  Georgian  residence.  As  already  mentioned  in  the 
chapter  dealing  with  garden  walls,  quaint  use  may  sometimes  be  made  of  local  materials, 

such  as  land  tiles  and  ridging  tiles  for  small  or  very  rural 
gardens,  but  there'  is  a  distinct  danger  of  extravagance  which 
must  be  guarded  against. 

To  give  a  clear  impression  of  what  is  meant  by  simple 
and  elaborate  terrace  walls,  a  series  of  designs  drawn  to  scale 
of  terrace  walls  designed  for  gardens  planned  by  the  Author, 
is  given  in  illustrations  Nos.  118  and  119.  In  addition  to  the 
examples  in  stone,  there  is  one  which  may  be  interesting  in  its  way,  viz.,  a  wooden 
balustrade  designed  for  the  terrace  in  front  of  an  old  house  in  Staffordshire,  while 
No.  112  shows  a  combination  of  brick  with  wood  balusters.  No.  118  shows  stone 
terrace  walls  with  bays  of  wrought  iron  filling  in  the  circular  sweeps. 


FIG.  115. 


94 


TERRACES    AND    TERRACE    GARDENS. 


O 

o 


w 

2 
en 


en 

j 

3 

8 


O 


95 


TERRACES  AND  TERRACE  GARDENS. 


E  -WALLS  •  AND 


II 


5TONC.      •         BALUSTEBS 


STONt    -   AECADE.D 


rttj. 


FIG.     Il8. 


96 


TERRACES    AND    TERRACE    GARDENS. 


TERRACE  ~mLL§  •  ^ND  •  BALUSTRADE 


BCICK.  -  &  •  TILE 


SRICtCS  •  &  •   '6.  E.OUND  -  TILES  - 


COPC- 


BRICK.-    PltRS  •    WITH    •    WOOD 


FIG. 


97 


TERRACES  AND  TERRACE  GARDENS. 


Steps.  Steps  may  always  be  made  very  pleasing 

as  well  as  highly  necessary  features  in  a 
terrace  scheme.  They,  together  with  their 
flanking  walls,  lend  themselves  to  a  variety 
of  treatment  which  renders  monotony  inex- 
cusable, but,  of  course,  use  and  convenience 
should  be  considered  before  mere  effect.  In 
nearly  every  case,  both  convenience  and 
effect  are  enhanced  by  making  the  steps 
broad  and  shallow  or  as  the  builder  will 
put  it,  by  making  the  treads  broad  and  the 
risers  easy;  and  the  size  which  I  have  found 
to  be  most  generally  useful  has  a  tread 
thirteen  and  a  half  inches  wide  making  with 
the  projecting  nosing  fifteen  inches,  with 
a  rise  of  five  and  a  half  inches. 

Steps  in  Where  steps  are  arranged  in  connection 

grass  with    a   grass   slope    with    a   batter   of    one 

banks.  in  two  as  recommended  above,  they  could, 

of  course,  only  have  a  tread  of  twelve 
inches  with  a  rise  of  six  inches,  but  the 
effect  of  a  tread  of  thirteen  and  a  half 
inches  can  be  obtained  by  having  a  pro- 
jecting nosing  of  one  and  a  half  inches 
obtained  by  either  working  a  mold  on  the 
front  of  a  solid  stone  step,  or,  where  the  step 
is  built  up  of  flags,  as  in  No.  115,  by  allow- 
ing the  flat  stone  tread  to  overhang  the 
same  distance.  Where  steps  accompany 
deep  terraces,  it  will  be  found  advantageous 
to  divide  them  into  two  flights,  the  landing 
being  so  arranged  as  to  allow  of  a  summer- 
house  or  tool-shed  below,  and  a  terrace 
bastion  above,  which  may  often  be  recessed 
sufficiently  to  take  a  garden  seat,  or  one 
may  be  built  in  the  same  material  as  the 
walls  and  furnished  with  a  loose  lattice 
cover.  Where,  however,  the  steps  do  not 
exceed  ten  in  number,  they  may  be  effec- 
tively arranged  at  right  angles  to  the 
terrace,  each  side  of  the  steps  being 
supported  by  side  walls,  or  where  this 
would  cause  them  to  project  too  far  into 
the  garden  below,  half  of  them  may  be 
recessed  back  into  the  terrace,  and  the 
other  half  built  as  spreading  steps  without 
side  walls  (No.  123).  Spreading  steps  are 
those  formed  without  side  walls  as  shown 
Various  m  Nos-  I2°.  I21  and  122,  and  are  most 

forms  steps      usually    used   where  the   difference  in  level 
may  take.        between   the    inside  and  the  outside  of  the 


OF    FECT 


FIG.    I2O. 


FIG.    121. 


FIG.    122. 


FIG.    123. 


FIG.    124 


98 


TERRACES  AND  TERRACE  GARDENS. 


wall  does  not  exceed  four  feet  six  inches.  They  may  be  arranged  as  a  semicircle 
(No.  122),  a  half  octagon  (No.  121)  or  square  (No.  120),  but  whichever  shape  is  adopted, 
they  should  have  a  very  ample  spread.  In  the  perspective  view  of  the  grounds  of  Foots 
Cray  Place,  Sidcup  (111.  No.  415)  will  be  seen  a  design  which  combines  the  best  features 
of  both  semicircular  spreading  steps  and  a  straight  flight  between  retaining  walls. 
Occasionally  in  very  elaborate  flights  of  steps  accompanying  early  classic  renaissance 
mansions,  the  balustraded  side  walls  are  curved  so  as  to  make  the  steps  broader  as 
one  proceeds  down  them.  This  arrangement  has  much  the  same  effect  as  spreading 
steps,  and  exactly  the  same  raison  d'etre  in  allowing  the  steps  to  be  approached 
obliquely  from  below  where  a  path  runs  right  and  left  from  their  base. 

Where   the   terrace   is    supported    by    a  very   low    wall   only   two   or   three   feet    high, 
steps   of  great    width   may  be   made    to   add   to   the   effectiveness   of   the  terrace.       Thus, 


Width. 


FIG.     125. 


FIG.     126. 


for  a  summer-house  having  a  central  verandah,  I  proposed  steps  thirty  feet  in  length, 
extending  across  its  full  breadth,  the  work,  when  carried  out,  producing  a  pleasing  effect 
at  a  small  cost. 

Long  flights  of  steps  give  the  Landscape  Architect  his  opportunity  both  to  invent 
easy  and  convenient  connections  between  varying  levels  and  also  to  secure  striking 
effects.  To  obtain  the  first,  change  of  direction  and  frequent  half-landings  are  essential, 
with  seats  or  rest-houses  at  points  of  interest  when  a  great  number  of  steps  is  necessary. 
Unless,  however,  alternative  sloping  paths  are  provided  for  reaching  the  higher  levels, 
repetition  of  flights  on  the  same  axial  line  should  be  avoided.  The  magnificence  of  the 
great  stairway  at  the  Villa  d'Este  at  Tivoli  is  often  quoted  as  the  grand  model  for  a 
series  of  steps,  but  those  who  know  these  gardens  will  remember  the  numerous  more 
easy  ways  from  one  part  of  the  grounds  to  another.  As  an  example  of  a  change  of 


Long 
flights. 


99 


TERRACES  AND  TERRACE  GARDENS. 


Construc- 
tion of 
steps. 


Surfaces  of 
terraces. 


direction,  here  (No.  125)  is  a  plan  and  elevation  of  a  terrace  scheme  on  a  mountain 
side,  the  total  drop  of  twelve  feet  being  divided  into  twenty-six  steps.  A  second  drawing 
(No.  126)  shows  the  solution  of  a  similar  problem  but  with  a  rise  of  only  nine  feet, 
while  the  third  (No.  124)  gives  another  arrangement  where  a  sense  of  ease  is  secured 
by  spreading  out  the  steps.  Here  the  rise  is  about  six  feet  six  inches. 

Steps  may  be  constructed  in  a  variety  of  ways  with  different  materials  to  harmonize 
with  different  styles  of  architecture.  We  have  already  spoken  of  those  cut  from  solid 
blocks  of  stone  and 
those  built  up  of 
flags.  Others  may 
have  the  tread  of 
flags  and  the  risers 
built  in  rough  local 
stone  or  brick,  or, 
where  an  even  freer 
treatment  is  called 
for,  the  flag  may  be 
a  narrow  strip  along 
the  front  of  the  step 
and  the  back  be 
filled  in  with  cobble 
paving.  Where  the 
architecture  of  the 
house  and  terrace 
walls  is  of  brick, 
especially  where  a 
wooden  balustrade 
is  added  as  described 
above,  effective  steps 
may  be  made  to 
match,  with  a  strip 
of  English  oak  about 
four  inches  wide  and 
three  inches  deep 
along  the  front  of 
each  step,  the  tread 
at  the  back  and  the 
riser  below  the  oak 
being  built  of  rich 
brown-red  brick. 

Terraces  may 
have  their  surfaces 
finished  in  many 

ways,  and  those  not  immediately  before  the  house  will  form  gardens  of  various  kinds. 
That  which  is  right  under  the  windows  of  the  principal  rooms  and  which  is  usually  a 
comparatively  narrow  outlook  promenade  from  which  the  rest  of  the  grounds  and  the 
prospect  are  viewed,  will,  however,  need  special  treatment.  If  it  is  to  fulfil  its  purpose 
it  must  usually  be  available  for  promenading  at  all  seasons  of  the  year,  and  this  means 
that,  to  provide  a  dry  path  underfoot  in  the  Winter,  it  must  be  flagged  or  paved  in 
some  manner.  It  is  not  necessary,  of  course,  that  it  should  be  paved  all  over.  Sometimes 
panel-shaped  flower-beds  will  be  cut  out  of  the  paving,  in  others  there  will  be  a  paved 


FIG.     127. — PLAN    OF   GARDENS   AT   THE    GRANGE,    WRAYSBURY. 


IOO 


TERRACES  AND  TERRACE  GARDENS. 

path  with  grass  at  either  side  with  or  without  flower-beds  in  the  grass,  or  there  may 
be  a  flower  border  with  a  stone  edging  on  that  side  of  the  paved  path  nearest  the  house 
and  grass  on  the  other  side.  A  still  freer  treatment  would  be  obtained  by  having  a 
gravelled  path  with  a  row  of  flags  down  the  middle,  making  a  line  of  paving  about 
two  feet  six  inches  broad,  or  a  similar  strip  of  flags  might  be  laid  with  cobble  paving 
on  either  side.  Such  arrangements  open  the  way  for  harmonious  colour  schemes  where 
these  would  be  in  keeping  with  the  architecture ;  for  instance,  in  a  South  Cumberland 
garden,  one  might  combine  the  rich  red  St.  Bees  sandstone  with  the  blue-grey  local  cobble 
paving,  and  in  other  districts  one  may  have  cobbles  and  brick,  cobbles  and  stone,  or 
two  colours  of  slate,  blue-black  and  green,  or  two  shades  of  green. 

The   formation   of   flower  gardens    and    lawns   is   dealt   with   elsewhere   and   it  is    only     Flower  beds 
necessary  to  deal  with  their  application  to  the  terrace  scheme.      Generally    speaking,   beds     on  the 

terrace. 


FIG.  128. — TERRACED  EFFECT  BY  LOWERING  GROUND  AT  LEES  COURT,  FAVERSHAM. 

of  a  definite  panel  design  and  divided  by  narrow  walks  of  a  medium  width  of  two  feet 
six  inches  are  often  better  than  those  cut  out  of  grass.  Where  grass  is  preferred  as  a 
background,  the  widths  between  the  beds  should  be  greater  than  for  gravel  or  paving 
as  narrow  strips  of  grass  are  constantly  losing  their  shape  and  level  appearance.  The 
proportion  between  grass  walks  and  borders  will  need  arranging  very  carefully,  and  one 
•or  the  other  should  predominate,  and  the  others  be  made  subservient  to  it  in  the  scheme 
•of  decoration,  or  the  result  will  suggest  a  muddle. 

Tennis    and    croquet    lawns    and    bowling    alleys,    the    sizes    and    practical    formation     Games — • 
of   which   are    dealt    with   in   Chapter   IX.,    in   their  demand   for   level  unbroken   stretches     lawns  on 
of    greensward,    are    peculiarly    suited    to    the    terrace    scheme.       Their   inclusion    has    also     the  terrace. 
the    advantage    of    placing    them    near    to    the    house,    and    in    those    numerous    instances 
where  a  narrower  higher  terrace  overlooks  the  broader  one  on  which  the  game  is  played, 


101 


TERRACES  AND  TERRACE  GARDENS. 


102 


TERRACES  AND  TERRACE  GARDENS. 


PLAN  OF  C 
GARDENS  AT 
LEES  COURT 


c^/IZU    i 

f{ 


FIG.    130. 


103 


Gardens  too 
flat  for  a 
terrace. 


Terraced 
effect  by 
formation 
of  sunk 
gardens. 


TERRACES  AND  TERRACE  GARDENS. 

a  convenient  point  of  vantage  from  which  to  view  the  players  is  obtained  while  the 
tea-houses,  covered  and  shady  seats,  stores  for  nets,  racquets  or  bowls,  and  other 
necessary  architectural  adjuncts  of  such  quiet  games,  can  be  made  a  part  of  the  scheme 
for  the  terraces. 

Most  of  the  gardens  illustrated  have  tennis  lawns  placed  close  to  the  house,  and 
in  positions  overlooked  by  the  principal  appartments.  Nearness  to  the  house  is  the 
more  necessary  where  the  lawn  is  to  be  used  exclusively  for  croquet,  the  game  of  pure 
skill,  in  which  neither  robust  natural  force  nor  physical  endurance  secure  an  advantage, 
and  which  is  therefore  peculiarly  adapted  to  elderly  people,  who  would  be  induced  to 
play  often  if  the  lawn  were  very  accessible.  For  this  reason,  it  should  be  protected 
from  East  winds  and  in  other  ways  be  made  as  snug  as  possible  by  the  provision  of 
sheltered  seats  and  arbours,  and  where  necessary,  should  also  be  enclosed  by  stout  yew 
or  holly  hedges. 

Many  persons  express  disappointment  because  their  gardens  are  all  on  one  level, 
and  they  therefore  conclude  that  it  is  useless  to  attempt  any  distinctive  arrangement, 
and  in  particular,  that  any  substitute  for  a  terrace  scheme  is  impossible.  I  am  induced 
therefore,  (though  perhaps  somewhat  out  of  place)  to  give  a  plan  of  the  gardens  laid 
out  for  G.  M.  Freeman  Esq.,  K.  C,  at  Wraysbury  near  Staines  (111.  No  127),  omitting  for 
want  of  space  a  formal  lily  pond  at  the  end  of  the  tennis  lawn. 

The  point  which  it  is  particularly  desired  to  emphasize  in  this  scheme,  is  that, 
although  it  is  impossible,  from  the  level  nature  of  the  site,  to  obtain  even  a  slightly 
raised  plateau,  still  the  whole  spirit  of  a  terrace  as  well  as  its  practical  advantages 
has  been  caught  in  the  paved  panel  garden  in  front  of  the  house  which  is  more  plainly 
shown  in  the  photograph  (111.  No.  129).  It  will  be  seen  thus  that  no  one  need  despair  of 
obtaining  a  terraced  effect  even  on  a  flat  site  and  this  effect  can  be  considerably  helped 
by  the  formation  of  sunk  gardens,  thus  obtaining  greater  contrast  in  the  levels.  A 
Typical  example  is  shown  in  the  illustration  of  the  gardens  at  Little  Onn  Hall  (111.  No.  405). 

A  successful  experiment  in  this  direction  on  a  somewhat  extensive  scale  is  shown 
in  illustrations  Nos.  128  and  130,  which  represent  gardens  laid  out  at  Lees  Court  near 
Faversham,  the  ancestral  home  of  Earl  Sondes,  for  Mrs.  Halsey.  The  main  garden  is 
on  the  South  front  of  a  fine  example  of  Inigo  Jones'  work,  now  unfortunately  almost 
entirely  destroyed  by  fire.  Here  a  good  low  terraced  effect  was  obtained  by  sinking 
the  rose  garden  and  forming  the  broad  central  grass  walk  at  a  level  of  two  feet  below 
the  main  flagged  terrace  as  shown  in  the  photograph  and  indicated  on  the  section  at  the 
foot  of  the  plan.  This  method  of  obtaining  a  terraced  effect  by  the  formation  of  sunk 
lawns  can  often  be  adopted  with  great  effect,  especially  on  light,  well  drained  soils. 
In  wind-swept  gardens  such  as  are  often  met  with  along  the  coast,  they  not  only  give 
elevation  to  the  house  and  variety  to  the  garden,  but  also  ensure  sheltered  spaces  for 
flowering  plants. 

It  may  also  be  pointed  out  that  a  flat  piece  of  ground  usually  possesses  the 
quality  of  breadth  so  difficult  to  obtain  on  a  hillside  and,  in  treating  such  a  site,  the 
fullest  advantage  should  be  taken  of  the  least  rise  or  fall,  so  that,  as  previously  stated, 
slight  differences  of  level  may  be  emphasized.  The  mistake  made  by  many  garden 
designers  in  the  past  has  been  in  endeavouring  to  produce  unnatural  undulations  and 
mounds,  instead  of  aiming  at  retaining  the  predominating  quiet  peacefulness  which  the  site 
already  possessed,  making  everything  harmonize  with  it. 


104 


n  B:  "» 


• 


FIG.    131  ---ROSE    GARDEN,    NEWTON    GREEN    HALL 


FIG.    132. — SUMMER-HOUSE   AND   PERGOLA   IN   ROSE   GARDEN,    NEWTON    GREEN    HALL. 


C 

J 


HCWER.  GARDENS 

BEDS 
RDERS 


scheme  as  a 
whole. 


CHAPTER    VIII. 

In  the  immediate  provision  for  flowering  plants,  we  reach  what  is,  in  one  way,  the 
culminating  point  in  our  subject,  for  not  only  are  they  the  finishing  touch  in  the  com- 
position, the  feature  up  to  which  everything  else  in  the  whole  scheme  leads,  but  they 
must  appeal  to  every  garden  lover,  for,  unlike  many  other  items  of  garden  equipment, 
their  use  is  essential  to  every  class  of  domain,  be  it  large  or  small. 

Whether  the  garden  be  formal  or  informal  they  are  equally  necessary,  if  it  is  to  fulfil     Importance 
its   function   worthily,   though   there  is   no   doubt   that   the   architectural  gardener   is  more     °f  flower 
entirely   dependent    on   them    than   the   landscapist,   for    while  in   his    case     they    form    an        ^ 
integral  part  of  the  scheme,  in  the  landscape  garden  they  are  often  incidental   and   super- 
added    adornment,    and    may    even    be    intruded    in    such    a    way    as    to   detract   from   the 
tout   ensemble,    as    when    flower   beds    cut    up    an    otherwise    well-arranged    lawn. 

It  is  not  too  much  to  say  that,  while  the  landscapist  could  form  a  garden  with  the 
sole  aid  of  trees,  shrubs,  greensward  and  water,  the  formal  gardener  depends  on  flowers 
to  clothe  his  balustraded  walls,  drape  his  pedestals,  break  up  his  flat  areas,  give  vivid 
colour  contrasts  against  the  dark  green  of  his  clipped  hedges,  and  everywhere  relieve 
angularity  with  the  waywardness  of  all  growing  things.  All  architectural  gardening  is,  in 
fact,  designed  from  first  to  last  either  as  a  background  or  skeleton  for  flowers  and 
climbers,  as  when  the  arbour  is  covered  with  rampant  foliage  vines,  or  to  stand  in  bold 
relief  against  a  mass  of  greenery  like  the  statuette  in  its  alcove  of  yew,  or  to  give  point 
and  centralization  to  the  grouping  like  the  sundial  in  the  centre  of  the  rose  garden  ;  and 
this  dependence  on  the  best  that  our  gardens  can  show  is  to  our  mind,  all  in  his  favour. 

In  the  landscape  garden  of  fifty  years  ago,  when  terracing  had  fallen  almost  en- 
tirely into  disuse,  garden  designers  succeeded  in  obtaining  many  pretty  effects  by  the 
arrangement  of  gently  undulating  lawns  with  shade  trees  on  the  outer  fringe  and  as  occasional 
groups  on  the  lawn,  and  such  gardens  were  usually  embellished  with  a  series  of  flower 
beds  arranged  in  an  orderly  manner.  The  same  system  has  been  largely  copied  in 
American  gardens  and,  it  may  be  added,  often  with  fine  effect,  especially  when  the  house 
is  in  the  colonial  Georgian  style,  frame-built  and  painted  white.  Under  such  conditions 
the  strong  colours  of  geraniums,  begonias,  and  verbenas  give  cheerfulness  to  the  garden. 
In  the  British  Isles,  a  similar  treatment  of  beds  and  lawns  is  often  very  effective,  but 
quieter  colour  effects  are  to  be  desired. 

Nevertheless,  however  informal  the  planning  of  a  domain  as  a  whole  may  be,  even 
though  wild  and  rocky  gardens  predominate,  flower  borders,  being  essentially  an  artificial 
product,  invariably  result  in  a  part  of  it  being  treated  in  a  more  or  less  formal  manner. 
Indeed,  it  would  almost  seem  that  their  use  forced  the  so-called  informalist  or  landscape 


107 


FLOWER  GARDENS,  BEDS  AND  BORDERS. 


Flower  beds 
in  formal 
and 

informal 
schemes. 


Form  and 
shape  of 
beds. 


gardener  to  become  the  most  pronounced  formalist.  This  only  proves  that  every  man 
who  approaches  the  subject  of  garden  design  intelligently,  comes  to  recognize  the  value  of 
contrast,  colour  and  rhythmic  order,  as  not  only  characteristic  of,  but  essential  to,  every 
well-planned  scheme. 

There  is  this  difference,  however,  that  while  in  the  formal  scheme  the  flower  beds 
are  usually  grouped  round  the  house  as  the  decorative  accompaniments  of  the  residence, 
in  the  landscape  garden  they  are  treated  as  "  places  apart,"  except,  perhaps,  for  a 
narrow  border  round  the  house  and  a  few  beds  along  the  main  walk.  This  is  quite  a 
logical  outcome  of  the  positions  of  the  two  schools  of  garden  design,  the  first  of  which 
aims  at  a  geometrical  composition  softened  by  Nature,  while  the  latter  produces  one  based 
on  natural  landscape,  but  with  parts  emphasized  by  art. 

Nevertheless  both  schools  have  much  in  common,  one  of  the  most  important  points 
being  the  correct  proportioning  of  colour  spaces,  together  with  the  tone  of  the  colouring 
and  the  question  as  to  the  season  when  each  bed  or  portion  of  the  composition  should 
be  at  its  best.  If,  for  instance,  there  are  large  groups  of  rhododendrons  which  provide 
sheets  of  vivid  and  alternating  colour  in  late  Spring,  but  are  masses  of  monotonous  green 
in  summer,  the  flower  beds  and  borders  should  be  at  their  best  in  July,  August  and 
September,  for  rhododendrons  in  full  bloom  in  June  will  not  brook  competition. 

Other  important  points  common  to  all  flower  gardens,  are  the  formation  of  the  borders 
themselves  and  their  size  and  shape.  With  regard  to  the  former,  it  is  of  the  utmost  im- 
portance that  both  the  preparation  of  the  soil  and  drainage  should  be  thoroughly  well 
done  in  the  first  instance,  as  the  success  of  the  garden  depends  entirely  upon  this. 
As  to  the  methods  to  be  employed,  all  that  is  said  in  Chapter  XV  on  this  subject  applies 
equally  to  the  flower  garden,  and  it  is  only  necessary  to  add  that  the  object  should  be 
to  form  a  soil  neither  too  light  nor  too  heavy,  but  lighter  in  a  naturally  moist  situation 
and  vice  versa,  except  in  the  rose  garden,  where  a  heavy  clayey  soil  is  demanded,  as  rose- 
trees  prefer  this.  In  any  case,  too,  flower  beds  should  not  be  formed  round  shrubberies, 
or  near  large  trees  or  shrubs,  which  unduly  rob  the  bed  or  borders  of  their  nutriment. 

The  adoption  of  simple  forms  of  flower  beds  and  the  avoidance  of  purile  and  ridiculous 
shapes  would  seem  a  matter  which  would  need  no  urging,  yet  a  visit  to  almost  any  garden 
will  show  how  necessary  a  word  of  caution  on  this  subject  is.  It  is  not  that  attention 
has  not  been  drawn  to  the  matter  by  writers  on  gardening,  for  even  a  hundred  years 
ago,  Nichol,  who  styled  himself  "  the  Horticultural  Architect,"  wrote  :—  "  A  variety  of 
forms  (of  beds)  may  be  indulged  in,  without  incurring  censure,  provided  the  figures  be 
graceful,  and  not  in  any  one  place  too  complicated.  An  oval  is  a  figure  that  generally 
pleases,  on  account  of  the  continuity  of  its  outline  ;  next,  if  extensive,  a  circle.  Next, 
perhaps,  a  segment  in  form,  of  a  half  moon,  or  the  larger  segment  of  an  oval.  But  hearts, 
diamonds,  triangles,  or  squares,  if  small,  seldom  please.  A  simple  parallelogram,  divided 
into  beds  running  lengthwise,  or  the  larger  segment  of  an  oval,  with  beds  running  parallel 
to  its  outer  margin,  will  always  please."  By  "half  moons"  no  doubt  the  writer  meant  semi- 
circles as  crescent  shapes  are  not  only  difficult  to  fit  in  with  a  design,  but  are  the  worst  of 
all  forms  for  effective  planting. 

The  shape  and  size  will,  of  course,  be  largely  influenced  by  the  size  of  the  par- 
terre and  the  nature  of  the  flowering  plants  to  be  used,  but  in  any  case,  fancy  patterns 
are  to  be  avoided,  the  simpler  the  design  of  the  beds  the  better.  Compare  the  number 
of  flowers  which  can  be  grown  in  an  oblong,  say,  twelve  feet  long  and  five  broad,  with 
the  amount  grown  in  beds  of  the  same  superficial  area  divided  up  into  curves  and  acute 
angles.  In  the  latter  instances,  although  the  same  quantity  of  soil  surface  is  provided 
and  more  room  is  monopolised,  the  beds  are  not  available  for  plants  in  the  same  way  as 
in  the  simple  oblong,  because  in  the  oblong  every  inch  can  be  planted,  while  in  the  others 
there  are  long  narrow  points  to  each  bed  which  are  more  or  less  useless.  Quite  apart 


108 


FIG.  133. 


FLOWER  GARDENS,  BEDS  AND  BORDERS. 

from  these  practical  considerations,   however,   simple  forms  are  best,  for  those  having  com- 
plicated shapes  are  distracting  to  the  eye  and  claim  attention  for  their  own   sake,    whereas 

they  should   be  considered  as  a  background   to  the  flowers   and  not  as  a  competing  feature. 

Plain  oblongs  cannot  always  be  employed,  of 
course,  but  these  relieved  by  circular  beds,  such 
as  those  shown  in,  the  accompanying  sketch 
(111.  No.  133),  or  the  other  arrangements  shown 
in  illustration  No.  134,  are  adaptable  to  a 

large  number  of  cases  where  beds  line  either  side   of   a   path,  and   may  be  further   varied 

by    the    insertion    of    posts    for   climbing  roses  at   regular  intervals,   or    rose    arches    across 

the    path.      The   plan    of    the  panel    garden    at 

Wraysbury,  near  Staines   (111.   No.  127),  show    an 

effective  and  simple  arrangement  of  beds  which 

will  bear  repetition,    or  might,    whilst   retaining 

the   general   characteristics,   be  alternated   as  in 

illustration  No.    135.      The    spaces   between  the 

beds   should    not    be  too   great  where   they  are 

divided  by  gravel  paths,   or   the  gravelled  area 

will  appear   obtrusive,    but  where   the  beds  are 

cut  out   of   grass,   the  remaining  strips  between 

them  should  be  wide  enough  to  take  a  mowing 

machine  and  to  allow   of  the   necessary  trampling   incidental  to  the  care  and  trimming  of 

the  plants  without  growing   bald. 

A  further  important  point  is  the  provision  of  beds  large  enough  to  allow  of  the  plants     Arrange- 


FIG.  134. 


being  arranged  in  masses.    Every  student  of  the  works  of  those  artists  who  make  a  special 
study    of    garden  subjects   for  their   paintings,  will  realize   how  one  and  all,  they  glory  in 

large  masses  of  brilliant  colour  produced 

J-^  ._  jcmr  OF  rtET  by  growing  a   quantity   of  one  sort  of 

plant  together.  Many  years  ago,  Mrs. 
Siddons,  the  actress,  in  her  own  garden 
on  the  Harrow  Road,  set  this  most 
estimable  fashion,  and  one  can  only 
wonder  that  it  has  not  been  more 
universally  followed.  The  sizes  of  the 
beds  for  this  purpose  must,  of  course, 
be  regulated  by  the  scale  of  the  flower- 
ing plants  they  are  to  accommodate ; 
for  instance,  borders  in  which  oriental 
poppies,  anchusas,  delphiniums  and 
hollyhocks  are  to  be  planted,  must  be 
wide,  and  should  be  long  in  propor- 
tion to  their  width.  On  the  other 
hand,  beds  which  are  to  be  filled  with 
pinks,  lavender,  and  plants  of  similar 
scale  may  be  much  smaller.  A  good  average  width  for  a  border  to  be  planted  with  the 
larger  herbaceous  plants  is  nine  feet,  while  beds  for  smaller  things  may  vary  from  this 
down  to  only  two  feet  broad. 

Again  both  formal  and  informal  gardens  may  have  their  parterres  devoted  to  one 
special  class  of  plant  or  flower,  as  in  the  case  of  the  rose  garden,  herbarium  for  medicinal 
plants,  or  the  Alpine  garden.  Hogg,  the  poet,  writing  of  the  flowers  which  were 
fashionable  in  his  day  says, — "  In  some  particular  instances  I  am  disposed  to  copy  the 


Of 


masses. 


FIG.  135. 


FLOWER  GARDENS,  BEDS  AND  BORDERS. 

Dutchman,  and  I  would  have  my  beds  of  hyacinths  distinct,  my  tulips  distinct,  my 
anemones,  my  ranunculuses,  my  pinks,  my  carnations  distinct,  and  even  my  beds  of 
double-blue  hollyhocks,  violets  and  dwarf  larkspurs  distinct,  to  say  nothing  of  hedge- 
rows of  different  kinds  of  roses.  Independent  of  the  less  trouble  you  have  in  cultivating 
them  when  kept  separate,  you  have,  as  I  said  before,  beauty  in  masses,  and  you  have 
likewise  their  fragrance  and  perfume  so  concentrated  that  they  are  not  lost  in  the  air, 
but  powerfully  inhaled  when  you  approach  them." 

Rose  Of  all  the  flowers  which  repay  the  provision  of  a  separate  garden  and  individual  treat- 

gardens.  ment,  the  rose  by  popular  consent  has  first  and  unquestioned  claims  to  special  consideration 

and  choice  of  position.  No  other  flower  provides  such  a  number  of  varieties  with  such 
a  wide  range  of  effects  and,  at  the  same  time,  an  extensive  flowering  season.  The 
compact  bedding  varieties,  standard  pillars  and  rampant  climbers  for  training  over 
the  high  ugly  wall,  clothing  the  pergola  or  draping  the  summer-house,  each  have  their 
distinctive  habit,  so  that,  in  a  representative  collection,  monotony  is  impossible. 

Though  such  gardens  are  usually  placed 
near  the  residence  or  in  direct  communication 
with  it,  this  is  not  always  so.  For  instance, 
where  a  house  is  built  in  a  position  of 
great  natural  beauty,  it  may  be  desirable  to 
leave  the  surroundings  as  far  as  possible  in 
a  state  of  nature.  This  is  often  wisely  decided 
upon,  though  it  needs  infinite  skill  and 
patience  to  harmonize  the  distinctly  artificial 
with  the  obviously  natural.  The  transition 
between  them  is  often  supplied  by  means  of 
close-shaven  undulating  lawns,  interspersed 
with  groups  of  ornamental  trees,  conifers  or 
rhododendrons.  The  transition  thus  attained 
is  not  always  quite  successful,  and  could 
have  been  managed  better  by  gardens,  which 
whilst  distinctly  geometrical  in  design,  would 
not  be  assisted  by  any  architectural  accessories. 
In  many  such  cases  the  situation  will  be  too 
barren  and  bleak  for  roses,  and  thus  the 
garden  will  be  placed  elsewhere,  but,  in  those 
cases  where  they  would  succeed,  no  class  of 
flower  is  so  well  adapted  to  producing  the 

right  note  as  the  briars  and  single  hybrids  which  would  harmonize  with  the  natural 
scenery,  while,  nearer  the  house,  pillars,  arches  or  festoons  of  some  of  the  innumerable 
climbing  varieties  would  provide  a  suitable  setting  for  the  architecture  and  would  enclose 
the  formal  garden.  Within  the  garden  itself  each  bed  might  be  filled  with  its  own 
variety  of  choice  hybrid  tea  roses,  the  beds  as  a  whole  forming  a  perfect  symphony  of 
soft  colouring. 

Gardens  The   garden   devoted   to   one   class   of   plant   or  flower  may  also  be  placed  away  from 

devoted  to        the    house    to    obtain   the   necessary   soil   and   aspect.      The   transition    from    rock   or   dry 

one  class  of     arid  tracts  to   bog,   which   will   be   found   in   many   gardens    in    hilly   districts,    may   make 

plant  this   necessary,   and  provides   unlimited  scope   for  the  arrangement  of  gardens   of  different 

sorts,  for  roses  in  one  part,  and  rhododendrons  or  azaleas  in  another,  and  so  on.      These 

are   the   opportunities  which,   if   seized   and   adequately   used,    secure  individual  expression 

to    a   garden. 

The   allotment   of   several   gardens   to   distinct    classes   of   flowers   is   a  very   good   and 


FIG. 


TREATMENT  OF  OLD  WALLS. 


no 


FLOWER  GARDENS,  BEDS  AND  BORDERS. 

appropriate  plan  in  those  English  domains  which  have  grown  out  of  farm  houses,  and  where 
the  old  picturesque  farm  buildings  and  enclosures  have  been  retained  and  adapted  to  garden 
uses.  Orchards  will  remain  much  as  they  were,  and  cattle  yards  and  other  enclosures  be 
converted  into  gardens  and  green  courts,  and  where  this  is  done  with  skill  and  taste, 
the  result  will  often  fully  compensate  for  the  loss  of  the  terrace  scheme,  with  its  variety 
of  levels.  The  first  object  should  be  to  give  some  direct  connection  between  these  several 
gardens,  the  openings  being  treated  so  as  to  secure  long  vistas  such  as  that  shown  in 
illustrations  Nos.  137  and  138.  An  alternative  which  is  capable  of  producing  very  pretty 
effects  is  obtained  by  piercing  the  wall  between  two  such  gardens  with  a  series  of  arched 
openings  similar  to  those  shown  in  illustration  No.  136.  Whatever  other  treatment  of  the 
old  walls  is  undertaken,  however,  the  clothing  of  them  with  beautiful  climbers,  trained 
to  trellis  where  necessary,  should  form  a  definite  part  of  the  scheme.  The  best  method  of 


FIG.    137.        OLD    WALLS    BROKEN   THROUGH    TO    FORM    VISTAS.        FIG.    138. 

dealing  with  such  gardens  is  to  treat  the  spaces  between  the  beds  as  paved  walks, 
edging  them  with  box  or  stone.  Between  the  various  beds  forming  part  of  one  panel 
design,  they  would  be  kept  quite  narrow,  say  two  feet  to  two  and  a  half  feet  broad, 
while  the  paved  space  round  each  panel  would  be  broader,  say  six  feet  across  in 
ordinary  cases. 

Illustration  No.  140  shows  an  arrangement  which  is  capable  of  delightful  effects  in  which 
the  garden  is  devoted  entirely  to  roses  and  carnations,  two  favourite  flowers,  which,  under 
skilful  management,  harmonize  perfectly.  The  design  allows  the  beds  to  be  changed,  should 
this  be  thought  desirable,  say,  alternate  years,  in  order  to  obtain  some  of  the  benefits  of 
crop  rotation.  This  garden  is  placed  between  the  walled-in  kitchen  garden  and  the  well- 
known  and  beautiful  pleasure  grounds  at  Madresfield  Court,  the  seat  of  Earl  Beauchamp, 
and  provides  a  good  and  successful  solution  for  a  difficult  problem,  that  is,  how  to  tone 
down  the  aggressive  lines  of  the  brick  walls  which  are  essential  to  a  large  garden 
where  high-class  horticulture  is  pursued. 


in 


--HE  DGE 


.  GRASS. 


FLOWER    GARDENS,    BEDS    AND    BORDERS. 

In  this  instance  the  garden  is  surrounded  by  high  yew  hedges,  the  growth  of  many 
years,  and  trimmed  to  a  number  of  quaint  shapes.  The  beds  are  edged  with  box,  and 
the  interspaces  gravelled  ;  but  a  design  of  this  kind  can  often  be  more  economically  and 
effectually  treated  as  an  enclosed  grass  lawn  with  the  beds  cut  out  of  the  turf. 

Gardens  are  seldom  devoted  entirely 
to  carnations,  but,  in  favourable  districts, 
a  part  of  the  garden  might  very  suitably 
be  given  to  them.  One  of  the  best 
arrangements  of  this  kind  which  the 
writer  has  seen  was  a  carnation  walk, 
square  beds,  each  accommodating  twenty 
plants,  being  formed  on  either  side  of 
the  walk,  there  being  long  borders  at 
the  back,  which  are  planted  with  other 
florist's  flowers,  such  as  violas,  pansies, 
pinks,  phloxes,  and  large  masses  of  the 
stronger-growing  border  carnations,  the 
whole  being  arranged  as  shown  in  the  sketch  (111.  No.  139).  This  garden  is  about  a 
hundred  yards  from  the  house,  and  has  the  advantage  of  a  fine  background  on  either 
side  of  native  silver  birches  and  Scotch  firs,  with  spaces  cleared  and  planted  with 
rhododendrons. 


/H  E  DO  E . 
FIG.    139. — A    CARNATION    WALK. 


FIG.  140. — THE  CARNATION  GARDEN,  MADRESFIELD  COURT. 

During  the  later  Victorian  period  gardens  were  not  only  devoted  to  one  or  two 
flowers,  but  also  entirely  to  the  cultivation  of  hard-wooded  plants  such  as  ericas, 
dabeoceas,  alpine  rhododendrons,  azaleas,  kalmias,  sedums  and  andromedas.  Some  of  these 


112 


FLOWER  GARDENS,  BEDS  AND  BORDERS. 


FIG.    141. — GRASS    WALK   AT   LACIES,    ABINGDON. 


FIG.      142. — IN     THE     RESERVE     GARDEN,     FOOTS     CRAY     PLACE,     KENT. 


Hous  E. 


LAWN. 


FIG.  143. 


FLOWER  GARDENS,  BEDS  AND  BORDERS. 

gardens  are  quite  formal,  others  more  or  less  informal,  which  latter  method  seems  more 
suited  to  the  character  of  the  plants,  which,  while  allowing  of  good  grouping  effects,  are 
more  closely  related  to  wild  nature  than  to  the  highly-dressed  parts  of  the  garden.  Such 
arrangements  are  usually  called  American  gardens,  and  may  often  with  advantage  be  laid 
out  near  the  outskirts  of  the  grounds,  or  in  connection  with  the  pinetum  where  one  exists. 
Herbaceous  We  have  spoken  of  the  formation  of 

borders.  herbaceous   gardens   in  the  kitchen  garden  in 

Chapter  XV.,  but  there  is  one  consideration 
which  specially  applies  to  their  planning 
in  relation  to  the  point  from  which  they  are 
to  be  viewed.  This  has  more  force  when 
they  form  a  part  of  the  ordinary  pleasure 
grounds.  Owing  to  the  long  flowering  season 
which  is  usually  attempted,  there  must 
necessarily  be  large  areas  of  soil  or  flowerless 
plants  in  every  border,  resulting  in  a  some- 
what patchy  and  unsatisfactory  appearance.* 
Many  devices  have  been  resorted  to,  to 
obviate  this  tendency  of  the  herbaceous  border, 

such  as  filling  in  the  interspaces  with  annuals  and  biennials,  and  indeed,  whatever  plan 
is  adopted  to  overcome  this  defect  later  on,  some  such  arrangement  as  this  will  be 
necessary  for  the  first  year.  Undoubtedly  the  best  method  of  preventing  the  defect  is  so 

to  plan  the  borders  that  they  are  usually  seen 
from  one  end,  and  not  at  right  angles  to 
the  line  of  sight.  The  result  is  that,  the 
perspective  being  foreshortened,  the  occasional 
large  masses  of  bloom  are,  so  to  say,  bunched 
together,  the  intervening  spaces  of  soil  being 
hidden.  This  means  that,  where  a  border  is 
to  be  seen  from  one  of  the  windows  of 
the  house,  or  through  an  open  gateway,  or 
the  door  of  a  summer-house,  it  must  recede 
from  the  beholder.  Of  the  two  accompany- 
ing sketches  showing  herbaceous  borders  in 

relation   to   the    front    of   a   residence,    the    first   (111.    No.    143)    shows   the   correct   method 
of   doing  this,  while  the  second    (111.    No.   144)   shows  the  opposite,  or  wrong,  way.     These 
remarks    do    not  apply,  of  course,  to  borders  running  along  the  bottom   of  a  terrace  wall 
parallel  to    the  front   of  the  house,   as  in  the 
third  sketch    (111.   No.    145),  for,   in  this  case, 
the   border  would  be  hidden  from  the  house, 
and  the  principal  point   of  view  would  be   at 
the  foot  of  the   central  flight  of  steps  leading 
from  one  level  to  the  other.     The  two  accom- 
panying   photographs    of    such    borders    (111. 
Nos.  141  and  142)    will  show  what  is  meant. 
An  To    illustrate    most    of    the    points    dealt 

example.          with   in  this  chapter,   a   plan   is  given   of  the 

gardens  recently  laid  out  by  the  Author  at  Warren  House,  Hayes,  Kent,  for  Sir  Robert 
Laidlaw  (111.  No.  147).  This  instance  is  exceptionally  suitable  for  our  purpose,  as 

*  Some  writers  seem  to  suggest  that  a  well-planted  herbaceous  border  can  bloom  for  eleven  months  out  of 
the  twelve. 


FIG.  145. 


114 


FLOWER  GARDENS,  BEDS  AND  BORDERS. 

it  was  found  possible  to  create  a  chain  of  flower  gardens  extending  right  round  the 
domain.  The  site  is  flat,  though  surrounded  by  beautifully  undulating  country,  and, 
before  the  recent  improvements,  was  covered  with  rough  coppice  wood  interspersed  with 
small  groups  of  Scotch  fir,  which  have  been  incorporated  into  the  scheme. 

The  residence  being  of  considerable  size  and  no  distant  views  being  obtainable  from 
it,  it  was  obviously  desirable  to  form  extended  vistas  within  the  grounds.  The  prin- 
ciples on  which  this  has  been  done  is  indicated  by  the  radiating  lines  on  the  plan.  This 
fact,  coupled  with  the  consideration  that  the  existing  lawns  round  the  house  were  needed 
for  tennis  and  croquet,  and  that  the  interposition  of  flower  beds  near  the  house  would 
prevent  a  co-ordinated  treatment  of  the  lawns  and  accompanying  groups  of  trees,  which 
together  combine  to  form  the  vistas,  resulted  in  the  beds  being  laid  out  in  a  series  of 


PLAN^ROSE. 
GARDEN 


THOMAS  H  MWUON  e  -SONS 

LONDON    LANCASTER. 

TORONTO  e 


FIG.    146. 

gardens  on  the  outer  fringe  of  the  property.  In  addition  to  the  new  gardens  shown  on 
the  plan,  a  rock  garden  and  dell  had  already  been  formed  on  the  West  side  of  the  site,  and 
eventually  it  is  hoped  to  complete  this  side  by  the  addition  of  a  water  garden.  On  the 
East  front,  too,  there  was  already  a  well-planned  and  furnished  rose  garden  designed  by 
the  late  Mr.  George  Devey,  enclosed  on  the  East  and  South  sides  by  beautiful  yew 
hedges,  and,  on  the  North  side,  by  a  brick  wall. 

In  the  following  description  of  the  new  gardens  with  which  the  preceding  have  been 
linked  up,  the  figures  given  refer  to  corresponding  numbers  on  the  plan.  Starting 
from  the  East  end  of  the  main  terrace  (i),  we  have  first  a  new  sunk  garden  (2), 
this  is  enclosed  at  the  end  with  an  oak  trellis  screen  for  climbing  roses  and  clematis, 
and  has  beds  for  roses  and  carnations  cut  out  of  the  grass.  On  a  higher  level  on 


FLOWER  GARDENS,  BEDS  AND  BORDERS. 


FLOWER  GARDENS,  BEDS  AND  BORDERS. 

either  side,  (3),  there  are  long  beds  of  roses  punctuated  by  standard  Dorothy  Perkins  rose 
trees  trained  as  balloons,  the  arches  which  cross  the  path  being  planted  with  choice  clematis. 
This  part  of  the  garden  is  enclosed  on  either  side  by  yew  hedges.  At  the  far  end  of 
this  a  curved  walk  commences  which  passes  right  round  the  estate,  connecting  the  whole 
chain  of  gardens.  On  either  side  of  this  walk  are  pillar  roses  (4)  trained  to  scaffolding 
poles  nine  feet  high,  and  between  these  are  planted  miscellaneous  roses  and  briars  to  form 
a  tangle.  The  part  numbered  (5)  is  arranged  as  a  panel  garden,  in  the  centre  of  which 
is  a  small  lead  figure  of  Cupid,  while  in  the  centre  of  each  bed  is  a  specially  designed 
pillar,  the  line  of  the  latter  being  continued  through  the  adjoining  garden.  Over  these 
are  to  be  trained  climbing  roses,  while  the  beds  are  to  contain  lavender  and  China 
roses.  The  garden  marked  (6)  is  to  be  devoted  entirely  to  sweet-smelling  flowers,  among 
which  stocks  and  carnations  will  be  prominent.  On  either  side  of  the  steps  (7)  are 
planted  groups  of  azalias,  andromedas,  kalmias  and  other  peat-loving  plants,  and  on  either 


FIG.  148. — LEES  COURT,  FAVERSHAM,  BEFORE  ALTERATION. 

side  of  the  curved  walk  are  planted  limes,  which  are  to  be  pleached  into  a  continuous 
canopy  overarching  the  walk,  the  under  side  of  the  pleach  being  about  eight  feet  high 
to  admit  open  views  on  to  the  lawns.  At  the  point  marked  (8)  are  large  masses  of 
choice  rhododendrons,  with  irregular  margins  of  ericas,  sedums,  and  Ghent  azalias  of 
delicate  colours,  to  harmonize  with  the  rhododendrons.  At  (9)  are  herbaceous  borders 
enclosed  with  yew  hedges.  In  the  centre  of  the  circular  end  it  is  proposed  to  place 
a  figure  representing  Spring,  surrounded  by  beds,  which  are  to  be  filled  with  Spring 
flowers,  the  long  borders,  on  the  other  hand,  being  arranged  for  late  Spring,  Summer 
and  Autumn  effects.  Against  the  existing  mass  of  rhododendrons  (10)  is  to  be  placed  a 
figure  of  Autumn,  which  will  form  a  fitting  termination  to  the  paved  walk.  The  beds 
at  the  junction  of  several  walks  at  the  point  marked  (n)  are  filled  with  azalias, 


FLOWER  GARDENS,  BEDS  AND  BORDERS. 

kalmias,  andromedas,  and  Autumn-flowering  ericas.  Thus  is  obtained  a  girdle  of  interesting 
gardens  round  the  grounds,  each  part  of  which,  while  combining  to  form  a  delightful 
whole,  has  its  own  interest  and  individuality,  so  providing  variety  and,  whatever  be  the 
season,  from  early  Spring  to  late  Autumn,  some  part  or  other  which  is  specially  rich 
in  colour. 

Plan  of  a  The   plan   of   a  rose   garden   given   in   illustration   No.    146,   and  of   which   also   views 

rose  garden  are  given  (j\\  NOS  ^i  and  132),  provides  an  example  of  quite  a  different  kind.  Instead 
of  being  part  of  a  connected  scheme  like  the  last  example,  it  has  no  relation  to  any 
definite  formal  plan,  but  is  treated  as  a  complete  unit  in  itself.  As  will  be  seen  from 
the  plan,  it,  together  with  its  pergola,  garden-house  and  surrounding  plantations,  has 
been  adapted  to  the  irregular  shape  of  the  plot  of  ground  which  was  available,  and  which 
also  has  a  considerable  fall  to  the  South.  It  is  approached  from  the  stable  drive  on 
the  one  side,  and,  on  the  other,  through  an  old  shrubbery  walk  and  wild  garden.  The 
design  is  dominated  by  the  rose-covered  pergola,  which  is  taken  as  the  central  feature 
up  to  which  everything  must  lead.  The  beds  are  cut  out  of  the  grass,  and  filled  with 
roses,  only  one  variety  being  planted  in  each,  the  whole  arranged  with  regard  for  colour, 
character  of  foliage,  growth,  and  degree  of  hardihood. 

We  would  close  this  chapter  with  a  reference  to  a  matter  which  belongs  proportion- 
ally as  much  to  the  next,  dealing  with  lawns,  as  it  does  to  this.  This  is  the  most 
mistaken  but  very  prevalent  practice  of  breaking  up  every  expanse  of  lawn  with  flower 
beds,  and  so  destroying  the  continuity  of  line  and  flowing  curves,  which  are  the  chief 
attractions  of  a  sweep  of  greensward.  Nothing  could  be  more  mistaken  than  the  prevalent 
idea  that  a  clear  expanse  of  shaven  lawn  must  necessarily  have  a  bare  effect,  and  that 
it  is  essential,  in  every  case,  to  enliven  it  with  flower  beds.  Elsewhere  we  have  endeav- 
oured to  show  that  lawns  should  be  treated  as  features  desirable  for  their  own  sakes 
and  not  merely  as  backgrounds  for  something  else,  though,  of  course,  this  must  be  taken 
with  limitations  as  they  may  be  either,  according  to  circumstances.  A  very  pronounced 
instance  of  the  mistaken  attempt  to  beautify  a  lawn  by  the  insertion  of  beds  for  flowers 
and  shrubs  is  given  in  illustration  No.  148.  If  this  is  compared  with  illustration  No. 
128,  which  shows  another  front  of  the  same  residence,  it  will  be  seen  at  once  how  depen- 
dent the  severe  simplicity  of  the  architecture  of  the  mansion  is  upon  a  restful  treatment 
of  its  surroundings,  and  how  much  of  the  dignified  appearance  which  such  buildings 
should  have  is  destroyed  by  substituting  the  broken  lines  of  a  mass  of  shrubs  and 
flowers  for  the  levelled  area  of  the  turf.  Reference  to  the  latter  illustration  will  also 
show  that  this  does  not  mean  that  the  immediate  surroundings  of  the  mansion  must  be 
without  that  charm  which  only  flower  beds  can  give,  but  that  what  is  essential  is  that 
the  dependence  of  the  architecture  on  a  suggestion  of  continuity  of  base  line  must  always 
be  kept  in  view  in  their  arrangement.  It  is  further  evident  too  that  in  such  positions, 
they  must  be  more  or  less  conventionalized  if  they  are  to  harmonise  with  the 
architecture,  wild  free  growths  being  kept  at  a  greater  distance  from  the  mansion. 


118 


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CHAPTER.     IX. 

How  slow  we  are  to  learn  the  lessons  of  breadth  and  repose  which  Nature  is  so 
ready  to  teach  us  !  Swayed  this  way  and  that  by  the  breath  of  fashion  we  first  em- 
bellish every  square  foot  within  and  about  our  homes,  then  change  and  go  to  the  other 
extreme,  and  insipid  flatness  results.  Nature's  book,  free  to  all  who  will  cast  away  the 
shibboleths  of  convention  and  read  with  an  open  mind,  tells  us  that  striking  and  vivid 
contrasts  should  be  used  but  seldom,  and  where  employed,  should  be  just  sufficiently 
marked  to  emphasize  the  quiet  orderly  restfulness  of  the  scenes  they  enhance.  The 
contrasts  presented  by  the  lordly  and  rugged  oak  rising  from  the  smooth  meadow  with 
its  gently  swelling  contours,  the  towering  poplar  breaking  across  the  level  lines  of  the 
blue  horizon,  and  the  graceful  tender  foliage  and  white  trunk  of  the  silver  birch  springing 
from  the  face  of  the  rugged  precipice,  prove  the  universality  of  Nature's  methods  whether 
in  rural  pasture,  fenlands  or  rugged  mountain  scenery.  She  has,  in  the  foliage  of  woods 
and  forests,  vast  stretches  of  beauty,  restful  in  its  tout  ensemble,  yet  full  of  the  most 
charming  detail,  or  broken  masses  arranged  on  rolling  grassland  in  effective  groupings, 
the  verdant  grass  forming  a  restful  plane  on  to  which  are  projected  the  shadows  of  the 
trees  in  all  their  varying  qualities.  Thus,  by  open  stretches  of  grass,  a  restful  effect  is 
obtained,  relieving  the  eye  of  too  much  detail,  emphasizing  the  beauty  of  form  and  colour 
in  trees,  shrubs  and  flowers,  and  forming  green  glades  to  carry  the  eye  forward  into 
mellow  distances. 

In  no  part  of  garden  design  and  construction  can  we  learn  more  from  Nature  and 
her  methods  in  the  arrangement  of  pastoral  scenery  than  in  the  making  of  lawns  and  green 
glades.  Every  bit  of  rolling  pasture  is  potentially  a  lawn,  and  the  most  distinctive 
feature  of  our  English  scenery. 

Travellers  tell  us  with  what  pride  those  in  other  lands,  even  in  classic  Italy,  point 
to  their  English  gardens,  which,  however,  can  only  copy  their  pattern  to  a  limited  extent, 
for  the  chief  feature,  the  green  lawn,  can  only  be  maintained  at  great  expense  and  as 
an  exotic,  or  is  altogether  lacking.  Undoubtedly  the  fresh  greensward  which  our  humid 
climate  makes  possible  and  natural  to  our  gardens,  is  their  greatest  and  most  distinctive 
asset,  and,  did  we  but  realize  this,  we  should  cease  to  regard  grass  merely  as  a  back- 
ground or  foundation  for  other  things  and  treat  it  as  a  feature  in  itself.  We  should 
cease  to  break  up  every  stretch  of  green  by  dotting  it  all  over  with  small  exotics  and 
instead,  frame  it  with  masses  or  groups  of  foliage  placed  on  the  higher  ground  and 
leaving  the  valleys  free  to  form  vistas  and  glades.  Just  as  strains  of  music,  heard 
across  a  stretch  of  open  water,  are  blended  and  harmonized,  so  is  detail  when  viewed 
across  an  open  stretch  of  greensward,  and  individual  trees  blend  into  a  harmonious  whole. 


Green 

lawns 

distinctive 

features  of 

English 

gardens. 


121 


Formal  and 

informal 

lawns. 


LAWNS,  GLADES  AND  GARDEN  WALKS. 

In  no  case  is  the  value  of  plain  green  turf  so  evident  as  in  connection  with  large 
public  or  historic  buildings.  The  plain,  green,  open  expanse  of  the  cathedral  close, 
which  is  so  essentially  an  English  feature,  teaches  us  many  lessons,  especially  if  we 
compare  it  with  those  instances  where,  under  the  mistaken  idea  of  additional  adornment, 
it  has  been  broken  up  and  dotted  over  with  shrubs.  The  effect  of  this  treatment  is 
in  every  case  disastrous,  for,  whereas  formerly  we  had  the  level  expanse  of  green 
complementary  to  and  emphasizing  the  vertical  lines  so  characteristic  of  Gothic 
architecture,  now  we  have  an  area  confessedly  designed  to  attract  admiration  for  its 
own  sake  and  consequently  in  feeble  competition  with  the  architecture. 

We  have,  in  most  gardens  of  moderate  extent,  two  distinct  classes  of  lawn,  the 
formal  and  the  informal.  The  first  of  these  includes  those  recreation  grounds  so  essential 
to  a  modern  garden,  the  tennis,  and  croquet  lawns,  bowling  greens  and  possibly  a  formally 


FIG.  I5O. — THE  BOWLING  GREEN,  LEVENS  HALL. 

treated  archery  or  open-air  Badminton  court,  and  those  level  lawns  or  formal  banks 
which,  together  with  other  details,  such  as  steps,  walls,  or  clipped  hedges,  form  the 
architectural  setting  of  the  house.  The  second  is  comprised  of  the  outer  fringe  of 
grass  running  off  on  all  sides  into  undulating  lawns,  broad  grass  glades  or  vistas  which 
unite  the  more  formal  gardens,  by  easy  gradation,  with  the  landscape  beyond. 

As  will  be  evident  from  what  has  already  been  said  in  dealing  with  terrace  formation 
in  the  formal  or  architectural  garden,  the  shapes  of  the  lawns  and  the  proportion  they 
shall  bear  to  the  whole  area  of  each  plateau  are  all  predetermined  with  almost  mathe- 
matical exactness,  the  strips  and  squares  of  grass  in  due  proportion  to  the  spaces  and 
terraces  of  which  they  form  a  part,  and  the  tennis  and  other  lawns  for  games  in  strict 
conformity  with  regulation  dimensions. 


122 


LAWNS,  GLADES  AND  GARDEN  WALKS. 


Croquet 
lawns. 


Bowling 
greens. 


The  making  of  formal  lawns  has  been  already  more  than  incidentally  mentioned  Tennis 
in  speaking  of  terraces  and  terrace  gardens,  and  the  remarks  then  made  with  regard  to  lawns. 
obtaining  the  correct  levels  for  terrace  gardens  apply  equally  to  the  levelling  of  other 
areas  for  games.  Lawns  for  single  tennis  courts  should,  where  possible,  have  a  seven- 
foot  walk  all  round,  thus  adding  fourteen  feet  to  both  the  length  and  breadth  of  the 
playing  green,  the  area  of  which  should  be  at  least  one  hundred  feet  by  fifty.  For  use 
in  the  afternoon  the  lawn  should  preferably  be  so  placed  that  the  net  runs  from 
North-east  to  South-west,  while  for  play  earlier  in  the  day  it  should  stretch  from  North- 
west to  South-east,  thus  ensuring  that  neither  players  shall  have  the  sun  directly  in  their 
eyes.  A  most  useful  size  is  one  hundred  and  twenty  feet  square,  which  allows  of  two 
courts  side  by  side  with  the  nets  placed  either  way  according  to  the  times  of  the  day 
at  which  they  are  to  be  used. 

For  croquet  the  tournament  size  is  one  hundred  and  five  by  eighty-four  feet,  but 
an  excellent  game  can  be  played  on  lawns  much  smaller  than  this.  It  is,  in  fact, 
to  its  adaptability  to  lawns  of  various  sizes  that  croquet  owes  much  of  its  favour. 

Another  lawn  for  a  game  which  may  most 
fittingly  form  a  part  of  the  formal  garden, 
and  which  is  increasing  in  popularity,  is  the 
bowling  alley.  The  old  examples,  which  appeal 
so  powerfully  to  the  sentiment  of  all  lovers  of 
ancient  gardens  (111.  No.  150),  were  general!}/ 
long  and  narrow  and  protected  on  either  side 
by  a  stout  hedge  or  wall,  while,  in  other 
instances,  the  lawns  are  circular,  or  oblong  with 
semicircular  ends,  with  niched  seats  and  some- 
times adorned  by  lead  figures,  the  main  features 
of  which  class  have  been  reproduced  in  the 
bowling  green  at  Foot's  Cray  Place,  shown  in 

illustrations  Nos.  152  and  153.  The  popular  form  to-day  is  a  square  of  about  forty  yards 
long  and  broad,  sunk  some  two  and  a  half  feet  below  the  surrounding  ground,  the  playing 
green  having  a  rise  of  about  six  inches  from  the  sides  to  the  centre.  The  raised  platform 
which  thus  surrounds  the  lawn  forms  a  splendid  vantage  ground  from  which  to 
watch  the  game. 

This  platform  should  be  screened  by  a  hedge  or  plantation,  and  if  in  the  hedge, 
recesses  are  cut  for  seats,  and  an  arch  of  greenery  is  formed  over  the  entrance  gates, 
the  effect  will  be  considerably  heightened.  Old  walled-in  gardens  which  are  no  longer 
required  for  vegetable  or  fruit  growing,  make  the  most  charming  bowling  greens,  having 
a  quaint  old-world  air  otherwise  unattainable,  especially  if,  as  in  one  instance  in  the  writer's 
experience,  there  is  an  old,  solidly  built,  flag-roofed,  and  moss-grown  fruit  room,  which 
with  very  little  internal  alteration  provides  a  cool  and  shady  tea-house. 

The    formation    of    lawns    for    games    of    any    kind    where    the    turf    must    necessarily 
be     subjected    to    much     trampling     on,     demands    very    careful     consideration     of     the 
question    of    drainage.      It    is    impossible    to   lay   down    any   rules    as    to    the   amount    or    Drainage 
distance    apart    of   the    rows    of    pipes,   for,    while    some    soils    are    so    light    as    to    require     of  grass 
practically  no  artificial  draining,  others  low-lying  and   waterlogged  would  be   most   difficult     banks. 
to    drain   by   any   means. 

There  is,  however,  one  part  of  nearly  every  lawn  which  will  need  extra  care  to  keep  it 
from  becoming  waterlogged,  and  that  is  where  it  has  been  excavated  out  of  the  hillside, 
and  consequently  a  bank  or  retaining  wall  has  to  be  made,  connecting  the  old  level 
with  the  new.  The  old  level  being  the  higher,  water  will  always  tend  to  drain  away  from 
it  to  the  lower,  and  so  the  part  of  the  lawn  at  the  foot  of  the  bank  or  wall  will,  unless 


DfWIM 


FIG.    151. 


123 


LAWNS,    GLADES    AND    GARDEN    WALKS. 


FIG.      152. — THE     BOWLING     GREEN,     FOOTS     CRAY     PLACE. 


FIG.      153. — THE     BOWLING     GREEN,     FOOTS     CRAY     PLACE. 

124 


LAWNS,  GLADES  AND  GARDEN  WALKS. 


measures  are  taken  to  prevent  it,  become  and  remain  waterlogged.  To  prevent  this  a  trench 
must  be  dug  along  the  foot  of  the  bank,  as  shown  in  the  accompanying  section  (111. 
No.  151),  and  a  pipe  drain  laid  in  the  bottom.  Over  the  pipe  dry  loose  stones,  between 
which  the  water  can  easily  percolate,  are  piled  to  within  a  foot  of  the  surface  and  the 
soil  and  turf  laid  on  these. 

Where  the  subsoil  is  formed  of  some  material  such  as  dry  flints  or  gravel,  which 
allows  all  moisture  to  drain  away  so  fast  that  the  grass  burns  in  hot  weather  and  all 
composts  or  fertilizers  are  washed  away  by  heavy  rain,  an  opposite  case  is  presented. 
Here  the  best  way  is  to  sink  the  lawn  as  suggested  above  for  bowling  greens  and  to 
treat  the  soil  with  heavy  manures  and  a  certain  proportion  of  clay. 

Suggestions  for  the  arrangement  and  design  of  one  or  more  games-lawns  may  be 
culled  from  almost  all  the  plans  of  gardens  illustrated  in  this  work,  while  in  illustration 
No.  409  is  shown  a  combination  which  is  rather  unusual  though  most  convenient.  It 
includes  a  tennis  lawn,  a  hundred  and  twenty  feet  square,  a  bowling  alley  and  a  cedar 
avenue  on  rising  ground  with  a  handsome  resthouse  at  the  top  of  the  glade.  This 
glade  is  long  enough  and  wide  enough  to  be  used  as  an  archery  ground,  and,  at  the 
end,  but  centering  with  the  bowling  alley,  is  a  croquet  lawn  with  a  loggia  and  raised 
terrace.  As  before  stated,  the  advantage  of  a  tennis  lawn  of  the  above  size  is  that  it 
allows  of  two  courts,  which  can  be  placed  either  way,  according  to  the  time  of  day  at 
which  they  are  to  be  used. 

Turning  now  to  the  consideration  of  informal  lawns,  we  find  that,  while  they  are 
not  susceptible  to  definite  rules  for  general  application,  there  are  certain  main  principles 
which  must  be  observed  in  their  formation  and  some  pitfalls  to  be  avoided  which  have 
led  to  much  failure  in  the  past. 

The  most  common  error  is  to  falsify  the  natural  contours  by  the  creation  of  artificial 
undulations,  a  process  which  has  already  been  condemned.  Instead  of  this,  the  natural 
contours  of  the  land  must  be  incorporated  into  the  scheme  and  emphasized,  and  in 
those  districts  where  the  whole  of  the  surroundings  of  the  mansion  are  at  one  dead  level, 
the  attempt  to  reform  the  surface  into  flowing  lines  must  inevitably  result  in  such  a 
contrast  with  the  remainder  of  the  prospect  outside  the  domain,  as  at  once  to  suggest  its 
artificiality  to  the  least  observant  beholder,  in  which  case  it  had  far  better  be  confessedly 
artificial  and  arranged  as  a  formal  garden  throughout. 

In  practice,  however,  there  are  occasionally 
cases  where  gradients  become  necessary  which 
are  not  part  of  the  natural  undulations  of  the 
site.  For  instance,  to  obtain  an  easy  walk,  it 
may  be  advisable  to  excavate  below  or  fill 
above  the  surrounding  natural  levels.  In  all 
such  cases  it  is  well  to  remember  that  a  garden 
in  any  style  is  simply  landscape  adapted,  and 
that  it  is  the  gentle  undulating  lines  of  nature 
which  are  to  be  followed,  not  the  rough  broken  ground  of  the  upland  pasture,  nor, 
on  the  other  hand,  the  series  of  miniature  railway  embankments  so  often  crowded  into  a 
garden  scheme. 

In  those  exceptional  cases  where  interference  with  the  natural  levels  of  an  informal 
lawn  is  justified,  what  are  therefore  needed  are  soft  flowing  lines  which  shall  help  the 
original  contours  instead  of  destroying  them  and  which  shall  give  a  restful  and  refined 
appearance  to  the  gardens.  This  cannot  be  attained  by  the  promiscuously  arranged 
bumpy  hillocks  which  so  many  garden  makers  effect,  but  rather  by  the  removal  of  those 
subsidiary  undulations  which  are  inimical  to  long  sweet  stretches  of  green  lawn.  The 
accompanying  section  (111.  No.  154)  through  a  shallow  valley  along  which  it  is  proposed 


FIG.    154. 


Informal 
lawns. 


Interference 
with  natural 
levels  on 
informal 
lawns. 


125 


LAWNS,    GLADES    AND    GARDEN    WALKS. 

to  form  a  vista  will  explain  this.  The  numerous  small  hummocks  with  which  the  rising 
ground  on  either  side  is  studded  are  removed  and  the  surface  left  more  or  less  to  the 
contours  shown  by  the  dotted  line. 

Where  the  mansion  has  been  designed  in  keeping  with  its  surrcmndings  and  rightly 
placed  on  the  site,  much  interference  with  existing  levels  in  the  more  naturally  treated 
portions  of  the  grounds  will  very  rarely  be  called  for.  There  are,  however,  cases  where 
it  is  advisable  to  erect  a  screen  between  the  gardens  and  outlying  properties  of  an 
unaesthetic  character,  or  for  the  purpose  of  giving  privacy  from  public  thoroughfares. 
In  such  instances  the  raising  of  a  mound  and  a  little  judicious  planting  will  soon  secure 
the  best  of  all  protections;  but  here  again  breadth  of  treatment  is  desirable,  for  if  the 
mound  merely  forms  a  ridge  along  the  boundary  its  use  is  so  apparent  as  to  call 
attention  to  what  is  on  the  other  side  instead  of  hiding  it. 


FIG.    155. — THE    GLADE,    LEWISTON    MANOR. 

(See  also  III.  Nos.  i  and  157). 


FIG.    156. — GLADE    CUT   THROUGH    COPPICE    WOOD, 
FOOTS    CRAY   PLACE. 


Woodland     •          There  is  one  form  of  lawn    directly  suggested  by  those  clearings  and  roadways  which 
glades.  abound  in   English   woodlands    and  which   ever    attract    and   please   the    artistic    mind   and 

for  which  there  is  increasing  opportunity.  This  is  the  woodland  glade  or  green  drive, 
which  is  often,  as  in  the  accompanying  photographs  and  plan  (111.  Nos.  i,  155  and  157), 
cut  through  coppice  wood.  Much  of  this  class  of  land  was  originally  planted  because  it 
was  too  rough  and  hilly  for  arable  purposes  and  not  rich  enough  for  permanent  pasture. 
Such  land  has  usually  great  attractions  for  lovers  of  rural  country  who  are  seeking  a 
site  for  a  new  residence.  Incidentally  this  is  fortunate,  for  it  leaves  the  broad  pastures 
and  meadows  for  the  fanner. 

In  treating  such  a  site,  it  is  well  to  remember  at  the  outset  that  the   wildness   which 
first    attracted    attention    to    its    desirability  will    not    finally   satisfy,    at    least    for   those 


126 


LAWNS,    GLADES    AND    GARDEN    WALKS. 


portions  of  the  grounds  nearest  the  house,  and  that 
the  designer's  task  will  include  the  introduction  of 
order  and  primness  consistently  with  the  existing 
wildness  which  is  to  be  retained.  There  is  also  the 
further  consideration,  that  the  coppice,  which  looks  so 
well  when  maturing  for  its  periodical  cutting,  leaves 
a  bare  scraggy  patch  when  cut  down,  so  that 
permanent  standard  trees  of  oak  or  other  varieties 
of  English  timber  should  be  encouraged  to  ensure  a 
permanent  woodland  ;  and  glades  should  be  planned 
to  bear  a  proper  relation  to  those  trees,  so  that  the 
effect  of  avenues  may  be  obtained.  Where  possible, 
any  opening  made  in  the  woodland,  whether  arranged 
as  a  formal  or  informal  glade,  should  be  considered 
first  in  relation  to  points  of  view  from  the  residence 
or  important  parts  of  the  immediate  surroundings, 
and  also  in  relation  to  views  outside  the  estate 
boundary. 

Two  practical  considerations  must  affect  the 
manner  of  forming  woodland  glades.  These  are  the 
shade  and  drip  from  trees,  which  tend  to  keep  the 
ground  sloppy  and  to  encourage  the  growth  of  moss 
instead  of  grass.  To  remedy  this,  land  drains  should 
be  laid  on  either  side  of  the  glade  at  a  greater  depth 
than  usual,  say  about  four  feet,  in  order  to  lessen  the 
risk  of  the  tree  roots  entering  them,  and  in  addition  to 
this,  the  grass  should  be  raised  in  the  centre  or,  on 
a  hillside,  sloped  slightly  from  one  side  of  the  glade 
to  the  other,  to  throw  heavy  rains  in  the  direction 
of  the  drains. 

Soil  in  coppice  woods,  though  excellent  for  the 
growth  of  shrubs  and  trees,  is  seldom  rich  enough 
for  grass,  so  that  if  manure  cannot  be  obtained, 
a  liberal  supply  of  leaf  mould  gathered  from  the 
surrounding  woodland  should  be  added  as  a  top 
dressing  or  forked  into  the  top  spit  of  soil.  If  the 
soil  is  very  light,  give  a  thorough  rolling  and  sow 
with  clover  ;  if  heavy,  allow  it  to  consolidate  naturally 
and  sow  with  the  grass  seed  given  below. 

Other  things  may  take  the  place  of  grass  in  a 
glade.  Ivy  is  often  used,  or  the  St.  John's  Wort 
(Hypericum  calycinum),  which  is  so  extensively  used  at 
Normanhurst  near  Hastings,  and  does  not  look  in  the 
slightest  degree  exotic  as  one  would  suppose  among 
English  timber  trees.  Where  a  still  freer  treatment 
is  required,  there  can  be  nothing  more  suitable  than 
bracken,  especially  where  one  looks  towards  the  sun 
down  the  glade,  when  the  play  of  light  and  shade 
is  very  beautiful.  The  russet  brown  carpet  in  Winter 
is  also  another  attraction  in  favour  of  brake,  especially 
if  there  are  holly  undergrowths  at  either  side  of  the 


i£ 


• 


&r    uli 


SCALE! OF  i 

i"  r  r \& 


Substitutes 
for  grass 
under  trees. 


FIG.    157. 


127 


LAWNS,  GLADES  AND  GARDEN  WALKS. 

glade  to  give  a  good  colour  contrast  of  dark  green  and  russet,  just  at  the  time  of  year 
when  it  is  most  valuable.  Any  of  these  subjects  will  also  make  a  good  material  with 
which  to  mark  the  sides  of  the  glade  where  box  is  not  used.  They  would  be  kept  to  a 
straight  line  at  either  side  of  the  grass  and  allowed  to  sow  themselves  back  into  the 
woods  as  far  as  they  will.  All  three  stand  drip  very  well  in  any  part  of  the  country. 
Where  the  glade  is  of  a  more  formal  character,  as  in  illustration  No.  155,  a  stone  edging, 
such  as  that  shown,  may  be  more  suitable,  or,  if  the  extra  trimming  of  edges  involved  is 
not  objected  to,  a  freer  effect  may  be  obtained  by  arranging  the  stones  as  shown  in 
the  sketch  (111.  No.  158). 

In  the  consideration  of  these  three  features,  formal  and  informal  lawns  and  grass 
glades,  we  have  mentioned  constructional  points  which  specially  relate  to  each,  and 
before  turning  to  the  subject  of  garden  walks,  must  supplement  these  remarks  with 
a  few  practical  considerations  which  apply  to  all. 

Drainage  of  Briefly,    the    two    things   of    paramount    importance   in    the    formation  of  a  stretch   of 

lawns.  greensward  of  any  kind  are  adequate  drainage  and  a   good   soil.     With   regard   to   the   first 

of  these,  if  the  ground  retains  too  much  moisture,  the  grass  turns  yellow  and  is  also  apt 
to  burn  sooner  than  on  well-drained  ground,  for  the  roots  will  be  nearer  the  surface,  and, 
in  bad  cases,  grass  will  refuse  to  grow  at  all  and  moss  will  appear  instead.  Much  money 
and  time  are  often  wasted  on  lawns  which  are  too  wet,  in  sowing  and  fertilizing  with 
bone  dust  and  other  manures,  when  all  that  is  required  is  a  proper  system  of  drains.  The 
ordinary  land  drains  are  best  for  the  purpose.  These  are  earthenware  pipes  of  three 

inches  or  upwards  in  diameter  and  made  in  short 
lengths  without  socketted  joints.  They  are  laid  end 
to  end  in  the  trench  dug  for  them  and  a  layer  of 
stone,  brick-bats  or  other  dry  material  laid  over 
them,  before  putting  back  the  material  excavated. 
The  water  runs  into  the  spaces  between  the  stones 
and  so  into  the  pipes  between  the  open  joints. 
Occasionally  one  finds  that,  in  certain  soils,  they 
soon  become  choked  with  loose  matter  carried  into 

the  pipes  by  the  water.  In  this  case,  heather,  furze  or  some  other  filtrant  should  be 
put  into  the  trench  round  the  pipes;  but  this  should  not  be  done  without  first  consulting 
the  farmer  who  has  tilled  the  surrounding  land,  and  who  will  know  the  method  which 
best  suits  the  local  conditions.  All  land  drains  will,  of  course,  unless  a  good  fall  is 
obtainable,  silt  up  in  the  course  of  years  and  must  be  opened  up,  emptied  and  relaid, 
and  this  is  one  reason  why  one  finds  so  many  old  lawns  which  are  in  a  poor  sodden 
state,  bald  in  patches  and  slippery  to  the  feet.  The  tendency  to  silt  up  can  of  course 
be  very  much  lessened  where  it  is  possible  to  give  the  pipes  a  good  fall  or  slope  so 
that  the  water  will  run  rapidly  in  them  and  scour  them  out. 

Where  the  whole  surface  of  a  large  lawn,  say  a  double  tennis  lawn,  is  to  be  drained, 
"  herring-boning,"  as  it  is  called,  is  usually  the  best  way.  This  consists  of  laying  a 
main  drain  pipe  along  the  longest  diameter  of  the  lawn  and  arranging  tributary  drains 
on  either  side  every  ten  to  fifty  feet  according  to  circumstances,  in  the  same  way  that 
the  spines  radiate  from  the  backbone  of  a  fish.  The  main  drain  may  be  six  inches 
in  diameter,  with  side  drains  of  four  inches,  or  four  inches  with  the  tributaries  three 
inches  according  to  the  wetness  of  the  ground  and  the  local  rainfall.  Where  the  outfall 
drain  crosses  a  drive  for  heavy  traffic,  stoneware  pipes  should  be  used,  as  these  are 
stronger  and  less  liable  to  be  crushed  by  heavy  weights  going  over.  Sometimes  drains 
are  formed  by  cutting  a  trench  and  merely  partially  filling  it  with  dry  rubbish,  such  as 
dry  flints,  through  which  the  water  can  percolate,  then  filling  up  with  earth.  In  other 
cases  a  V  shaped  trench  is  cut  and  the  bottom  part,  about  six  inches  deep,  is  bridged 


FIG.  158. 


128 


LAWNS,    GLADES    AND    GARDEN    WALKS. 

over  with   roofing  slates  or  tiles.      The  latter  is  only  useful  in  stiff  clays  and  neither  are 
as    good    as    pipes. 

After    good    drainage    comes    a   good    soil.      It    is    often    considered    wrong    to   have    a     Soil  for 
good   depth    of    loam    on    which    to   lay    the    turf   or   sow    the   seed,    the   impression    being     lawns. 
that  it  encourages  rank  grass.       I   have  seen   even   a  large   tennis  lawn   finished   with  less 
than   three  inches   of  soil,   with   the  result    that    in   two   years  it   was   covered  with   moss. 
A  lawn,  like  a  meadow,  requires  to  be  in  good  heart,  and  must  have  a  sufficient  depth  of 
soil.      To   prevent  worms,    however  a    layer    of    sharp    clean    ashes  or  coke  breeze  may  be 
laid   under   the  turf,  or,  where  the  lawn  is  to  be  sown   down,   under   the   top   spit   of  soil. 

Whenever  good  turf  can  be  obtained,  this   should  be   preferred  to   sowing  seed  as  the     Turf  for 
tender  grass  takes  a  long  time  and  much  mowing  and  rolling  before  it  forms  a  really  good     lawns. 
lawn,   whereas   lawns  laid   with   turf   and   well   looked   after   would   be   available  for  games 
etc.,    in   a  year's   time   or  even  less.      The  sods,   carefully   selected  from   a  good  meadow, 
are  lifted  with  a  turf  spade  in  pieces  about  two  feet  six  inches  long  and  one  foot  broad, 
care  being  taken  to  cut  it  thick  enough  to  carry  away  all  the  roots  and  plenty  of  loam. 
To    prevent   damage   in   handling   and    to    keep   it   moist,    each    piece   is    tightly   rolled   up 
for  transit  and  relaid  as  speedily  as  possible,   when  it  must  be  made  solid  by  being  well 
beaten   with   a   turf  beater,   and   occasionally   watered   if   the   weather  is  dry,    until   it   has 
become   somewhat   established    in   its    new    environment. 

Where  turf  is  not  available  in  sufficient  quantities  to  cover  the  whole  area  of  the 
new  lawns,  it  should,  if  possible,  be  used  for  the  edges  of  all  walks  and  for  grass  banks, 
and  the  rest  should  be  sown.  Although  the  latter  method  takes  a  considerable  period  to 
form  a  good  lawn,  it  will,  in  time,  be  quite  equal  to  one  which  has  been  turfed,  and 
even  six  weeks  after  it  is  sown,  the  tender  grass,  if  sown  in  the  spring,  will  be  green  and 
fresh  and  pleasant  to  look  upon. 

The   following   prescription   for   grass   seed   is   the   one   which    I    have   found   the   most     Grass  seed. 
generally   useful,  in  the  proportions  given. 

Cynosurus   cristatus    . .  . .  . .  . .  . .  . .  . .  . .  6  Ibs. 

Festuca  duriuscula     . .  . .  . .  . .  . .  . .  . .  . .  . .     4^1bs. 

Festuca  ovina   tenuifolia  . .  . .  . .  . .  . .  . .  . .  3  Ibs. 

Festuca  rubra  .  .          . .  . .  . .  . .  . .  . .  . .  . .  2  Ibs. 

Poa  nemoralis  . .          . .  . .  . .  . .  . .  . .  . .  . .  3  Ibs. 

Poa  nemoralis  sempervirens . .  ..  ..  ..  ..  ..  ..  ..     zfjlbs. 

Poa  trivialis      . .          . .  . .  . .  . .  . .  . .  . .  . .  •  •     3  Ibs. 

Trifolium  fepens          . .  . .  . .  . .  . .  . .  ..'...  7  Ibs. 

Trifolium   minus          . .  . .  . .  . .  . .  . .  . .  . .  3  Ibs. 

Dwarf  perennial  rye  grass  . .  . .  . .  . .  . .  . .  . .  . .   20  Ibs. 


56  Ibs. 

April  is  perhaps  the  best  month  for  sowing,  though  in  the  Southern  Counties  it 
may  be  done  as  late  as  September.  The  best  way  of  proceeding  is  to  prepare  the 
ground  early  in  Spring,  removing  all  old  roots,  etc.,  and  forming  the  surface.  This  will 
not  only  allow  time  for  settlement  before  sowing,  but  those  troublesome  hillocks  and  hollows 
which  appear  after  frost  can  also  be  dealt  with.  Every  piece  of  newly  turned  ground 
is  full  of  weeds  in  a  few  weeks  in  Spring  time,  and  the  work  should  be  done  early 
enough  to  allow  of  two  crops  of  weeds  being  destroyed  before  sowing  and,  of  course, 
before  they  seed.  This  will  give  the  grass  seed  a  far  better  chance. 

Before  sowing,  roll  the  ground,  then  lightly  scratch  the  surface  with  a  rake,  and 
after ,  sowing  roll  firm  and  protect  with  a  net  or  threads  of  black  cotton,  and  again  eradi- 
cate all  weeds  as  soon  as  they  appear.  When  the  seedlings  are  some  two  inches  high, 
roll  again,  and  by  no  means  allow  the  first  cutting  to  be  done  with  a  machine,  but  with 
a  sharp  scythe.  Not  only  does  the  machine  exert  an  upward  pull  and  so  tear  and 


Sowing 
lawns. 


129 


LAWNS,    GLADES    AND    GARDEN    WALKS. 


Walks. 


Breadths  oj 
walks. 


disturb  the  roots  of  the  infant  grasses,  but  it  is  difficult  to  adjust  it  so  as  not  to  cut 
too  closely.  Even  with  a  scythe  care  must  be  taken,  for  the  writer  has  many  times  •  seen 
a  newly  formed  lawn  studded  all  over  with  crescent-shaped  patches  of  yellow  grass  where 
it  has  been  cut  too  near  the  roots. 

The  comfort  and  success  of  a  garden  depend  greatly  upon  the  arrangement  and 
quality  of  its  walks.  Flowers  are  delightful,  trees  and  shrubs  are  interesting,  but  if,  in 
order  to  reach  them,  it  is  necessary  to  traverse  a  walk  unnecessarily  circuitous  or  one 
badly  constructed  or  with  steep  and  uneven  gradients,  the  pleasure  in  the  flowers  and 
trees  is  largely  discounted.  Walks,  too,  may  do  much  to  make  or  mar  the  compo- 
sition of  the  various  garden  scenes,  and  may  either  be  so  placed  as  to  help  the  perspective 
and  scale,  or  may  cut  across  the  view  with  a  hard  line  out  of  harmony  with  everything. 

In  certain  gardens  which  the  Author  has  been  called  upon  to  re-model,  the  walks 
have  presented  one  of  two  ideas.  Apparently  they  were  either  survivals  of  an  old- 
fashioned  maze,  or  were  made  with  the  intention  of  tiring  people  in  the  shortest  possible 
space  of  time,  ideas  quite  foreign  to  the  true  intent  and  purpose  of  a  garden,  the  pre- 
vailing spirit  of  which  should  express  restfulness  and  ease. 

The  main  principles  which  should  guide  in  the  formation  of  the  walks  of  a  garden 
are  illustrated  in  all  the  plans  in  this  work.  The  first  of  these  is  that  a  garden  should 
not  consist  of  a  multiplicity  of  walks,  but  that  each  path  should,  by  its  planning  and 
design,  clearly  express  the  purpose  it  is  to  serve.  A  certain  number  of  walks  and  a 
proportionate  amount  of  gravelled  space  are  necessary  to  the  design,  but  generally, 
lawns,  flowers,  trees  and  shrubs  make  the  garden,  and  walks  contribute  to  its  enjoyment 
by  affording  dry  paths  on  which  to  stroll  at  all  times  and  to  reach  the  various  parts 
of  the  grounds  without  inconvenience. 

Walks  and  paths  being  an  absolute  necessity  for  the  proper  working  of  the  garden, 
and  for  recreative  purposes,  they  should  offer  every  inducement  to  frequent  use  by 
having  well  conceived  and  harmonious  lines,  easy  gradients  and  perfect  metalling  or 
paving,  supplemented  by  seats  and  shelters  conveniently  placed.  They  look  best  when 
their  purpose  of  convenience  or  ornament  is  clearly  expressed  in  their  design,  and  should 
be  arranged  in  such  a  way  that  the  beauties  of  the  place  are  exhibited,  not  by  a  series 
of  wriggles,  each  of  which  is  supposed  to  bring  the  spectator  into  direct  line  with 
some  startling  device  or  example  of  misdirected  labour,  but  in  a  simple,  straight- 
forward manner  to  show  the  extent  of  the  gardens,  and  picturesque  views  of  the  house 
and  domain,  the  wealth  of  flowers,  and  any  other  feature  of  special  interest.  In  the  freer 
or  landscape  portion  of  the  garden,  the  practice  of  indiscriminately  cutting  up  lawns  merely 
for  the  sake  of  making  paths  cannot  be  too  strongly  condemned,  but  in  the  formal 
portion  nearer  to  the  residence,  division  of  the  gardens  by  walks  is  often  the  most 
expressive  way  of  securing  character  in  the  design. 

Walks  which  form  part  of  the  terrace  scheme  have  already  been  mentioned  in  dealing 
with  terraces  and  terrace  gardens,  and  many  of  the  remarks  then  made  apply  equally 
well  to  all  those  in  the  formal  garden.  Generally  speaking  the  walks  in  the  more 
formal  portions  of  the  grounds  should  err  rather  on  the  side  of  being  slightly  too  broad 
than  too  narrow.  If  not  given  sufficient  breadth  they  will  generally  look  very  mean 
and  poor.  The  most  suitable  widths  vary  from  six  to  twelve  or  fourteen  feet  broad, 
the  latter  being  for  the  main  terrace  promenade  walks.  In  most  gardens,  the  best 
uniform  width  for  the  whole  system  of  walks,  apart  from  the  main  terrace  scheme,  will 
be  seven  or  eight  feet.  In  the  panel  garden  on  the  other  hand,  it  is  better  to  err  on 
the  side  of  narrowness,  unless  the  beds  are  very  large,  and  usually  from  two  to  three 
feet  wide,  according  to  the  requirements  of  the  design,  will  be  plenty  if  the  walk 
surrounding  the  whole  is  of  sufficient  width. 

Paving  has  also  been  incidentally  mentioned  in  connection  with  the  terrace  scheme  and 


130 


LAWNS,  GLADES  AND  GARDEN  WALKS. 

is    equally   adapted    to    the  .formal    garden,    as    will    be    seen    on    reference   to   illustrations     Paved 
Nos.  159  to  163,  which  show  combinations  of  brick,  stone  and  cobbles.     In  their  formation,     walks. 
special  attention  should  be  given   to  the  foundations,  which    should    be  prepared   by  first 
removing    all    the    soil    and    laying    down   a   foundation   of    broken    brick,    stone,   or    other 
hard   material,  to    a    depth    of  about   six    inches,  on   which   a   stone   pattern   may  be   laid 


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and  bedded  in  sand,  or  cobble  paving  may  be  laid  in  sand  and  afterwards  grouted  in 
cement,  which  is  done  by  running  liquid  cement  in  between  the  stones  with  the  aid  of  a 
hard  broom  and  so  consolidating  the  whole.  If  a  layer  or  screed  of  cement  is  spread  over 
the  foundation  material  and  the  paving  bedded  into  this,  a  very  strong  substantial  footway 
will  result  which  will  not  grow  weeds  nearly  so  readily  as  other  kinds. 


FIG.   160. 

When  the  residence  and  other  architectural  erections  are  in  brick,  an  excellent 
and  inexpensive  path  is  formed  by  paving  with  the  same  material,  as  shown  in  the 
accompanying  plan  of  the  paved  garden  at  The  Grange,  Wraysbury,  already  referred  to 
(111.  No.  163).  Visitors  to  Holland  are  impressed  by  the  neatness  and  quaintness  of  the  side 
walks  paved  with  small  klompje  bricks,  while  in  the  case  just  referred  to,  ordinary  sand 


FIG.   161. 

bricks  were  used,  but,  whatever  bricks  are  employed,  it  is  necessary  to  use  weed  killers 
with  caution  in  their  vicinity  for  the  copper  sulphate  which  is  the  basis  of  most  of 
them  causes  the  bricks  to  scale.  It  is  claimed  that  gas  lime  is  a  safer  substitute  and 
quite  as  effective  as  a  weed  killer. 


FIG.  162. 

Stone  paths  neatly  laid  with  flags  of  good  quality  are  very  pleasing  in  appearance. 
Where  material  of  two  or  three  colours  is  available,  from  which  to  form  it,  a  design 
in  simple  squares  and  lines,  as  shown  in  illustration  No.  162,  may  be  very  effective,  and 
there  is  endless  scope  for  originality  in  their  treatment.  The  writer  has  found,  after  a 


LAWNS,  GLADES  AND  GARDEN  WALKS. 

test  extending  over  several  years,  that  yellow  York  flags,  procured  from  Idle  or  Morley, 
prove  the  most  serviceable  in  wear,  and,  in  colour,  harmonize  well  with  the  green  which 
preponderates  in  a  garden. 

Once  or  twice  I  have  been  asked  to  form  a  path  across  a  lawn  which  shall  appear 
as  little  noticeable  as  possible.  In  such  cases  I  have  recommended  a  narrow  line  of 
pea-green  flags  cut  from  Westmorland  slates  which,  both  in  colour  and  the  nature  of 
the  surface  obtained  by  splitting  them  at  the  quarry,  are  admirable  for  the  purpose. 

Although  there  are  a  few  exceptional  cases,  such  as  the  rock  garden,  where  crazy 
paving  may  be  used  effectively,  there  can  be  no  doubt  that  in  most  instances,  this  form  of 
garden  pavement  results  in  one  of  the  worst  forms  of  affectation,  like  rustic  garden 
houses,  seats  and  bridges.  Except  therefore  where  special  circumstances  make  the  use 
of  such  paving  advisable,  it  is  to  be  avoided. 

Cement  or  asphalt  walks  are  also,  as  a  rule,  undesirable.  There  are,  however, 
one  or  two  kinds  of  concrete  less  objectionable  than  the  ordinary  forms,  which  make 


FIG.  163. — PAVING   AT   THE    GRANGE,    WRAYSBURY.       (See    also    III.    No.    I2Q.) 

pleasant  paths.  The  best  is  the  concrete  coloured  by  oxides,  largely  used  in  Scotland 
for  steps  and  the  paving  of  yards,  while  another,  deserving  favourable  mention,  resembles 
broken  mosaic  floors  and  is  a  combination  of  concrete  and  broken  gravel. 

Gravelled  As   will    be    seen    from     the    accompanying     section    (111.    No.     164)    gravelled     paths 

paths.  are   formed   much   in   the  same   way   as    drives,   the    formation    of    which    is  dealt   with   in 

Chapter  VI.,  the  usual  difference  being  that  the  former  are  not  made  with  sufficient  care. 
This  is  a  great  mistake,  as  very  little  extra  expense  in  formation  will  make  the  walk 
more  serviceable  ever  afterwards.  On  the  section  the  ground  has  been  excavated  a  little 
deeper  at  the  sides  to  take  a  land  drain,  above  which  conies  first  the  pitching,  then  material 
broken  to  about  the  size  of  a  hen's  egg,  and  on  the  top  of  this  a  layer  of  pinnell  or 
gravel  to  form  the  surface,  the  best  from  the  point  of  view  of  colour  being  the  gravel 
obtained  from  Farnham,  Carnforth  or  the  Wrekin.  The  red  granite  gravel  so  much 
used  in  the  Highlands  of  Scotland  also  makes  fine  walks,  and  very  beautiful  gravel  may 
sometimes  be  obtained  from  the  neighbourhood  of  lead  and  copper  mines.  Where 


132 


LAWNS,  GLADES  AND  GARDEN  WALKS. 


none    of    these   materials    are    available,     the    walks    may    be    laid    with    hard   pinnell    or 
samel   and   receive    a   coat    of   fine   pit    or   river   gravel,   which  should  be  rolled  in. 

It  is  sometimes  found  desirable  in  garden  schemes,  both  formal  and  informal,  to 
make  walks  which  cannot  be  connected  at  their  termini  with  other  walks  or  doorways, 
and  some  feature,  such  as  an  arbour  or  seat,  must,  therefore,  be  supplied  to  atone  in 
some  measure  for  what  appears  to  be  faulty  planning.  Such  opportunities  allow  the 
designer  almost  unlimited  scope  for  originality  of  treatment,  which,  if  successful,  often 
appears  to  be  particularly  appropriate. 

This    suggestion    should    not    be    read    as    commending     the     formation    of    culs-de-sac, 
for    to    be   compelled   to   return    by   the   same   route   is   undesirable,   so   that   walks   of  this 
description   should   only   be   made   when    there    are    strong 
reasons    for   so   doing,    as    when   leading    to    a   particularly 
pleasing   view,    a    rocky    eminence    for    instance,    ascended 
by  solid  hewn   steps,   or  a   rounded  knoll   surmounted   by 
a    patriarchal   tree,    or    so    forth.      Where    a    walk    turns 
abruptly  at  right  angles  for  any  reason,  similar  conditions 
prevail   and   call  for  the  same  kind  of  treatment  as  that  employed  where  it.  stops  short. 

Another  difficulty  occurs  where  a  wild  garden  or  wilderness  adjoins  and  is  connected 
with  a  formal  scheme,  the  treatment  at  the  point  of  connection  between  the  two  usually 
being  anything  but  happy.  To  conceal  the  point  of  transition  is  usually  hopeless,  and 
it  is  far  better  to  mark  it  definitely  either  with  a  fence  and  simple  gate  or  a  pergola, 
summer-house  or  arbour,  placed  across  the  path  as  in  illustration  No.  322,  or  a  little 
gatehouse  such  as  that  shown  in  No.  71,  would,  in  some  instances,  be  most  effective, 
apart  from  its  present  use. 


FIG.    164 


Culs-de-sac. 


Connection 
of  formal 
and  inform- 
al portion 
of  grounds. 


FIG.  165. 


FIG.  166. 


In  the  informal  garden  it  cannot  be  said  that  walks  are  at  all  necessary  as  ornament, 
for  continuous  stretches  of  greensward  generally  look  better,  but,  as  dry  walks  are  neces- 
ary,  the  art  of  the  practitioner  should  be  directed  to  making  them  as  pleasing  as  possible. 
One  of  the  first  essentials  is  to  make  them  express  by  their  route  and  curves  the  contours 
of  the  land,  as  already  suggested  for  informal  carriage  drives,  and  they  should  always 
have  some  definite  and  adequate  objective,  such  as  an  important  point  in  the  garden, 
a  short  cut  to  church  or  village,  or  happy  connection  with  other  walks,  or  the  terrace 
scheme.  Where  they  are  raised  above  or  sunk  below  the  natural  level,  or  cut  out  of 
the  side  of  a  hill,  they  should  also  be  treated  as  recom- 
mended for  drives  in  such  positions  with  a  flat  verge  about 
three  feet  broad  on  either  side  and  then  banks  arranged 
in  flowing  lines  to  meet  the  natural  contours,  as  shown  in 
the  accompanying  sections  (111.  Nos.  165  and  166). 

Repton,  who  must  have  had  a  keen  appreciation  for 
beauty  of  line,  laid  down  certain  rules  for  walks  passing 
through  a  garden  designed  in  the  landscape  style.  The 
first  and  most  important  was  that,  when  two  walks 
diverged,  they  should  not  appear  as  though  intended  to 
join  again,  as  in  illustration  No.  167,  but  rather  as  though  they  led  to  points  far  apart, 
as  in  illustration  No.  168.  Another  rule  was  that  curves  should  not  be  too  small  or 
unnecessarily  repeated.  They  should  instead  be  blended  into  long  sweeping  lines.  A 
third  rule,  not  specially  referred  to  in  his  writings  but  followed  in  his  practice,  is  that 


FIG.  168. 


Repton  on 

garden 

walks. 


133 


Verges. 


LAWNS,    GLADES    AND    GARDEN    WALKS. 

where  anything  approaching  a  network  of  walks  is  necessary,  they  should  not  all  be  seen 
at  once.  These  three  rules,  if  properly  observed,  would  do  much  to  remove  many  of 
the  objections  raised  against  the  informal  method  of  laying  out  grounds. 

It  is  sometimes  necessary  to  connect  walks  which  are  part  of  the  pleasure  grounds 
or  walks  leading  from  the  conservatory,  garden  entrance,  or  other  particular  portion 
of  the  house,  with  the 
carriage  drive.  The  best 
way  in  such  cases  is, 
wherever  possible,  to 
effect  a  junction  with 
the  carriage  sweep,  but 
if  it  becomes  necessary 
to  connect  such  paths 
with  the  drive,  the  same 
conditions  should  be 
observed  as  before  de- 
scribed in  making  a 
back  drive,  or  the  junc- 
tion should  be  at  right 
angles,  which  would  be 
still  better. 

For  verges  to 
garden  walks  other  than 
terrace  paths,  grass 
would,  by  general  con- 
sent, be  allowed  to  be 
the  most  suitable,  but 
grass  so  charming  when 
in  good  keeping,  is  all 
the  more  disappointing 
when  untidy  or  sparse. 
This  is  most  noticeable 
in  the  many  instances 
where  a  narrow  grass 
verge  borders  a  drive 
overhung  by  trees,  when 
no  amount  of  care  will 
prevent  it  from  being 
ruined  by  the  drip  from 
the  branches,  and  where 
it  would  be  far  better 


FIG.   169. — WOODLAND    WALKS    AT    MOUNT    STEWART. 


to  give  up  the  attempt  to  grow  grass  and  replace  with  some  shade-loving  plant  which  will 
succeed  under  trees,  such  as  ivy  trimmed  level  and  to  a  line,  cotoneaster  macrophylla 
similarly  treated,  gaultherias,  hypericum  calycinum,  or  dwarf  sweet  briar  hedges  or  box, 
say,  one  and  a  half  feet  broad  and  two  feet  high.  Failing  these,  a  border  of  rough  stones, 
as  in  illustration  No.  169,  cobble  paving  or  narrow  free-stone  flag  or  other  local  paving 
material  might  be  laid.  The  edgings  to  be  avoided  are  those  consisting  of  blue  bricks, 
white  spar,  fancy  blue  or  coloured  edging  tiles,  shiny  terra-cotta,  glazed  bricks,  cement 
or  granolithic,  and  also  any  material  laid  in  a  series  of  scallops  or  jagged  points. 


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CHAPTER    X. 

The  four  features  which  it  is  proposed  to  consider  in  this  Chapter,  Verandahs, 
Summer-houses,  Pergolas,  and  Bridges,  which,  as  architectural  adornments  fulfilling  a 
practical  as  well  as  an  aesthetic  function,  are  closely  related  both  in  planning  and  effect, 
may  be  considered  as  details  in  garden  equipment. 

In  the  past,  unfortunately,  this  very  fact  has  been  made  sufficient  excuse  for  treating 
them  as  extra  embellishments  apart  from  the  general  scheme,  and  arbours  and  pergolas 
have  been  dotted  about  without  reference  to  their  surroundings  in  a  manner  which  has, 
in  many  instances,  brought  the  architectural  efforts  of  the  garden  designer  into  disrepute. 
They  are  details  certainly,  but  in  garden  architecture,  as  in  every  art  or  science,  it 
is  the  details  which  make  or  mar  the  final  result,  and  no  feature  of  garden  equipment 
can  be  considered  as  a  thing  apart,  but  all  must  be  made  to  harmonize,  each  item  fit- 
ting naturally  and  inevitably  into  its  proper  place  and  in  keeping  with  its  surroundings. 

If  they  are  ungainly  or  disproportionate,  their  ornamentation  coarse,  their  construc- 
tion meretricious  or  their  placing  crude,  persons  of  education  and  taste  will  be  unfavour- 
ably disposed  towards  the  whole  scheme  of  design.  If  such  things  as  ricketty  wood 
or  spidery  cast-iron  verandahs,  or  would-be  rustic  summer-houses,  with  shiny  varnish  and 
cheap  stained  glass,  are  placed  in  front  of  otherwise  dignified  residences,  breaking  up  the 
alignment  and  destroying  all  breadth  of  treatment;  or  rustic  bridges,  heavy  in  design 
and  insecure  looking,  are  made  to  span  a  somewhat  imaginary  stream,  the  whole  effect 
must  be  trivial. 

The  steadily  increasing  love  of  fresh  air  and  an  out-of-door  life  which  has  been  so 
pronounced  in  recent  years  in  this  country,  makes  a  deeply  recessed  verandah  or  colonnade 
on  the  South  front  of  the  house  almost  a  necessity.  Most  domestic  architects,  when 
designing  a  house  to-day,  would  incorporate  this  feature  into  their  plans  and  make  it  an 
integral  and  harmonious  part  of  their  design,  and  in  country  houses,  and  especially  those 
which  are  to  be  used  as  summer  residences  only,  there  is  even  a  tendency  to  transform 
the  verandah  into  a  large  square  open-air  dining  room,  occupying  the  whole  of  the  ground 
floor  area  of  a  gable,  the  upper  rooms  being  entirely  supported  on  pillars  on  three  sides. 
Such  an  arrangement  would  need  very  careful  backing  up  by  the  garden  architect  if 
it  is  to  be  a  success,  not  only  on  account  of  the  exceptional  architectural  treatment 
involved,  but  also  to  give  it  shelter  and  privacy. 

In  the  ordinary  verandah  placed  in  front  of  and  approached  from  the  entertaining 
rooms,  the  main  practical  question  to  be  faced  is  that  of  providing  sufficient  light  to  the 


Verandahs. 


137 


SUMMER-HOUSES     PERGOLAS    AND    BRIDGES. 


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SUMMER-HOUSES,    PERGOLAS    AND    BRIDGES. 


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139 


Verandahs 
to  neo- 
classic 
houses. 


SUMMER-HOUSES,    PERGOLAS    AND    BRIDGES. 

windows  at  its  back.  This  is  especially  so  in  those  cases  where  an  old  house  has  been 
acquired  and  beautiful  grounds  laid  out,  and  it  is  desired  to  erect  a  verandah  of  adequate 
width  from  which  to  view  the  gardens  from  under  cover  in  all  weathers,  and  which  will 
not  obstruct  the  light.  An  attempt  to  do  this  which  has  proved  eminently  successful  is 
shown  in  illustrations  Nos.  171  and  172,  where  an  existing  terrace  seventeen  feet  in  width 
has  been  covered  in  with  a  glass  roof  which,  while  it  passes  adequate  light,  does  not  show 
from  the  garden  below,  and  which  is  not  too  insistant  or  obtrusive  from  the  verandah 
itself.  The  principle  which  has  dominated  the  design  in  this  case  might  be  adapted  to 
harmonize  with  any  small  country  or  suburban  house  where  such  a  feature  is  to  be 
added,  so  avoiding  the  usually  distressing  result  in  such  cases. 

Where  the  house  is  built  in  the  classic 
style  with  a  pillared  fagade,  the  verandah  is 
placed  behind  it,  the  hall  being  recessed  for 
the  purpose,  and  the  entrances  from  the 
entertaining  rooms  being  arranged  as  shown  on 
the  sketch  (111.  No.  173).  This  arrangement 
is,  of  course,  only  available  when  light  can 
be  admitted  into  the  hall  at  its  opposite  end,  and  can  only  be  contrived  when  the  whole 
house  is  being  planned.  In  such  cases  it  is  not  possible  to  add  a  verandah  after  the 
house  is  built,  but  loggias  may  be  substituted. 
These  features  are  generally  placed  at  either 
end  of  a  garden  court  or  architecturally 
treated  terrace,  as  shown  in  the  sketch  (111. 
No.  174),  and  if  properly  contrived  and 
designed  in  harmony  with  the  classic  details 
of  the  residence,  may  add  greatly  to  its  effect 
by  broadening  the  fagade  and  strengthening 
its  base.  Such  structures  will  usually  be 
placed  as  terminal  features  on  a  terrace, 
clear  of  the  main  front  of  the  house,  for  they  cannot  be  placed  in  front  of  houses  of 
classic  design  without  destroying  the  element  of  breadth  so  necessary  to  a  dignified 


FIG.  173. 


VESTIBULE 


VESTIBULE. 


FIG.    174. 


I 


FIG.    175. 

composition.     The  homelier  mansions  however,  built  in  local  traditional  styles  and  without 
marked    symmetry    of    their    parts,   are    often   helped  by  one  or  a  pair  of  garden  houses 


140 


SUMMER-HOUSES,    PERGOLAS    AND    BRIDGES. 

in  front.       If  the   terrace  to   a  classic   building   extends  far  enough    on  either  side    of  the 
main  structure,  the  composition  may  be  further  helped   by   a  colonnaded  effect. 

Two  designs  for  garden  houses  terminating  extended  terraces  are  shown  in  illustrations     Garden 
Nos.  415  and   175.      The   first    of   these    shows    a  terrace  design    in  connection  with  Foots     houses. 
Cray   Place,   in    Kent,    and  illustrates   many   points    bearing    on    the    arrangement    of    the 
surroundings    of   early    renaissance  buildings,    while   the  second,    which  formed  part  of  the 
design  for  laying  out    the    grounds    to    Dalham    Hall,    near    Newmarket,    the    seat    of    the 
late  Right   Hon.    Cecil    Rhodes,  indicates    methods    more    in   keeping  with    the    spirit   of   a 
simple  Georgian  residence. 

An  example  of,  a  summer-house  designed  to   give   point   and   architectural   emphasis   to 
the     ends     of    a     terraced    lawn    is    shown    in    illustration    No.    176    and    was    erected    in 


FIG.    176.  —SUMMER-HOUSE    AT    END    OF 
TERRACE. 


FIG.    177. — SUMMER-HOUSE    IN    SAME    STYLE   AS   THE 
MANSION. 


Westmorland,  the  local  slate-stone  being  the  material  used.  In  illustration  No.  177  again 
we  have  a  form  of  garden  house  primarily  intended  to  bring  into  the  scheme  for  the 
grounds  some  of  the  dominant  architectural  qualities  of  the  mansion  to  which  the  terraces 
form  the  foreground.  They  serve  also  to  break  up  a  somewhat  flat  expanse  of  garden  and 
provide  the  antidote  to  a  preponderance  of  horizontal  lines,  and  at  the  same  time  supply 
convenient  rest-houses  or  shelters.  Here,  as  in  the  previous  examples,  the  garden-houses 
are  placed  equidistant  from,  and  on  either  side  of,  the  main  axial  line  running  through 
the  house  and  grounds. 

In  all  the  cases  considered  so  far,  there  has  been  a  very  marked  symmetrical  arrange- 
ment in  the  design  of  the  house,  and  so  this  quality  has  necessarily  been  expressed  in 
the  gardens.  The  architectural  treatment  and  even  colour  and  texture  of  the  summer- 
houses  and  loggias  have  also  been  made  to  correspond  with  that  of  the  mansion. 
Symmetry  of  parts  is  however  not  always  either  possible  or  desirable,  and,  in  fact, 
even  where  the  design  is  symmetrical  as  a  whole,  it  will  very  often  be  found  that  practical 
considerations  interfere  with  its  attainment  in  some  of  the  details  of  the  scheme.  This 
will  be  more  particularly  so  where  one  end  of  a  terrace  is  finished  by  a  summer-house 
and  the  other  must  necessarily  be  left  open  for  access  to  other  parts  of  the  grounds 
or  because  any  erection  would  interfere  with  the  view  from  important  windows  of  the 
house  or  otherwise.  In  such  cases  balance  must  be  obtained  by  other  means.  Some- 


141 


SUMMER-HOUSES,    PERGOLAS    AND    BRIDGES. 

times  it  can  be  achieved  by  elaborating  the  flight  of  steps  at  the  open  end,  or  the 
terrace  may  be  continued  at  right  angles  along  another  facade  and  the  balancing  feature 
be  placed  at  its  far  end,  or  a  gatehouse  or  lych  gate  may  be  placed  opposite  the  loggia. 
Where  none  of  these  expedients  are  possible,  balance  may  often  be  obtained  by  the 
treatment  of  the  terrace  scheme  itself,  or  the  design  of  its  walls,  or  it  may  be  extended 
further  towards  the  summer-house  than  on  the  other  side  of  the  main  axial  line. 

Quite  apart  from  the  terrace  scheme, 
however,    there    are   many   positions   in 
which    garden     houses    may     be     used. 
They  may  mark  the  end  of  a  favourite 
walk,  or  the  point  from  which  a  specially 
fine  view  is   to  be  obtained  and  which 
it   is  desired  to  enjoy  under   all   atmo- 
spheric conditions,  or  as  a  classic  temple 
(111.  No.  178)   they   may  close  a  formal 
vista.     Such  erections  must  be  designed 
in  strict   relation  to  their  surroundings, 
and    the     amount     of     elaboration     or 
rusticity   of  treatment  which    is    neces- 
sary will  usually  be  determined  by  their 
nearness    to    or    remoteness    from    the 
mansion.      Nevertheless,   however   rural 
their  surroundings,   nothing  can  justify 
that    spurious    rusticity    which   marked 
the  designs  of   the  Early -Victorian  era, ' 
and    which    still    predominates    in    the 
catalogues    of    wholesale   manufacturers 
of    cheap   garden   furniture.      Rusticity 
in  such  features  is  quite  allowable  and 
even  desirable  among  suitable  surround- 
ings, but  it  must  permit  of  the  structure 
in    which  it   is  used  being  designed  on 
architectural  lines  and  without   offend- 
ing  the  canons  of   art.      For   instance, 
in  illustration  No.   176  a   rusticity   has 
been  given  to  the  summer-house  and  a 
pleasant    local    character    obtained    by 
using   the  rough  native  stone   quarried 
on  the  site  ;   but  this  rusticity  is  con- 
sonant  with   and  is  expressed  in  architectural   terms.      In   the  case  of  the  erections  shown 
in    illustrations   Nos.    179    and    180,    on  the   other   hand,    the    buildings   were   so    near   the 
house  as  to  necessitate  strict   adherence  to   the   architectural   style   of   the   main   building. 
Examples    of     garden-houses    connected    with    outlying    portions    of     the    garden    are 
shown   in  illustrations  Nos.    181   and   182.       The   latter   is  a    garden   house   erected   on   an 
elevated  site  in  the  gardens  at  Cringlemire,  Windermere,  for  the  late  Henry  Martin,  Esq., 
and  is  furnished  with  a  fireplace,  thus  making  it  available  for  use  at  all  seasons.      As  will 
be  seen  from  the  illustration,  a  wide  verandah  on   the   East,  West   and  South  sides  gives 
points  of   vantage   from   which   to  view   the  magnificent   panorama   of  lake   and   mountain 
which    is    obtainable. 

Two    examples    of    garden    houses    erected    primarily    to    mark    a    notable    view-point, 
are    given.      The    first     (111.    No.    184)     shows    a    terraced    bastion    overlooking    a    broad 


FIG.    178. — TEMPLE    OF   THE    SUN,    KEW    GARDENS. 


142 


SUMMER-HOUSES,    PERGOLAS    AND  BRIDGES. 

stretch  of  Dorsetshire  downs  and  beautifully  wooded  heights,  on  which  two  shelters  are 
erected.  The  whole  is  approached  by  a  long  straight  woodland  glade  which  has  been  cut 
through  a  large  plantation  of  well-matured  oak  trees.  The  shelters  are  placed  on  either 
side  of  a  central  flight  of  steps,  there  being  three  distinct  landscape  views.  The  first 
and  most  important  is  the  one  seen  along  the  main  axial  line,  the  others  from  each  of 
the  shelters.  Such  an  arrangement  of  the  two  shelters  has  the  additional  advantage  that 
one  is  always  in  sunlight  while  the  other  is  in  shade. 

In  the  second  case,  illustrated  in  the  end  papers  to  this  book,  a  very  different  set  of 
circumstances  has  to  be  dealt  with,  as  the  prospect  is  viewed  across  the  gardens  and 
home  park  and  stretches  from  North-east  to  South-west.  Here  the  design  of  the  structure 
was  suggested  by  the  elevated  nature  of  the  site,  together  with  the  fact  that  it  would 
always  be  visible  from  the  main  entrance  door  to  the  house,  with  which  it  is  placed 
symmetrically,  and  the  local  building  material  which  is  a  coarse-grained  granite  quarried 
on  the  adjoining  Dartmoor. 


FIG.    179. 


SUMMER-HOUSES     IN     SAME     STYLE     AS     MANSION. 


FIG.     l8o. 


The  garden  house  at  Foots  Cray  Place  (111.  No.  152)  with  its  semicircular  pergola  in 
front,  is  another  example  of  view-point  treatment  ;  but  in  this  case  it  was  necessary  to 
carry  up  the  garden  house  to  a  second  storey  to  obtain  full  advantage  from  the 
prospect. 

A   primitive    summer-house   or    arbour   is    often    required    for    a    position   in    the    wild     Primitive 
garden,   along  a  woodland   walk  or  in  specially  interesting  spots  to  which  short  excursions     summer- 
are   made,    and   being   away   from    the  dominating  architectural   features   of   the   residence,     houses. 
may  be  constructed  of   any  material  ready  to   hand.      In    a   stone  district,   rough,  rubble- 
built    dry    walls    might   be   used    and    the    roof   covered    with    thatch    of    straw,    gorse,    or 
bracken,  or  it  may  be  shingled  or  slated.     Where  the  cost  of  stone  or  brick  is  prohibitive, 
wood  might  be  substituted  throughout,   and   the   roof   alone   slated,   provided   always   that 
the   woodwork   is   sufficiently    strong.      Such    erections,   if   built    in   the   simplest   and   most 
direct   manner   and   no   attempt   is   made   to   improve   them   by   applied   ornament   of   any 
kind,  whether  of  twisted  oak  or  virgin  bark,  will  generally  provide  a  summer-house  rustic 


Interior 
fittings  of 
garden 
houses. 


SUMMER-HOUSES,    PERGOLAS    AND    BRIDGES. 

in   character,    possessing   all   the   charm    which   such   a   retreat    is  capable   of   lending  to    a 

woodland  scene,  and  the  rusticity  would 
be  real  and  not  of  the  sham  description 
previously  referred  to. 

Having  considered  the  planning  and 
outward  presentment  of  garden  houses 
suitable  to  many  very  varied  conditions 
and  requirements,  there  remains  the  ques- 
tion of  their  interior  fittings.  These  will, 
of  course,  depend  on  circumstances.  For 
instance,  in  the  case  of  the  one  over- 
looking the  extended  view  of  Dartmoor 
in  Devonshire,  referred  to  above,  it  was 
intended  that  it  should  accommodate  a 
small  library  of  garden  and  nature  books, 
and  this  suggested  a  room  of  fairly 
ample  size  with  an  open  fireplace  and 
electric  light.  Sometimes,  too,  a  large 
summer-house  makes  a  splendid  play- 
room for  the  smaller  children  of  the 
house,  especially  for  noisy  games  which 
might  cause  inconvenience  in  the  mansion, 
and  in  any  case  it  will  provide  a  con- 
veniently accessible  retreat  in  case  of 
sudden  showers  when  the  children  are 
playing  out  of  doors.  As  they  grow 


FIG.    l8l. — SUMMER-HOUSE 


older,  it  may  be  fitted  with  quaint 
furniture  and  simple  utensils  for  the  first 

lessons  in  housewifery  which  will  be  all  the  better  learnt  under  such  pleasant  conditions. 

Enclosed  formal  gar- 
dens will  hardly  ever 

appear    complete    without 

a    garden    house    arranged 

somewhat      as     suggested 

in     illustration     No.     183, 

while  those  garden  houses 

which    are    reached    from 

the  tennis  and  other  games 

lawns   will   fulfil   the   dual 

purpose  of  a  shady  retreat 

from  which   to   watch   the 

progress    of    a   game,    and 

also  a  tea  room,  for  which 

latter  purpose,  access  from 

the     rear     communicating 

with    the    kitchen    of    the 

house   may    be    necessary. 

Cunningly    contrived    and 

quaint    cupboards    in    and 

around    a    chimney    nook,  ^    lg2  _SUMMER.HOUSE  AT  CRIKGLEMIRE,  WINDERMERE,  OVERLOOKING 

and     large     chests     under  LAKE  AND  MOUNTAINS. 


144 


SUMMER-HOUSES,    PERGOLAS    AND    BRIDGES. 

the    window   seats,    should   also    be    supplied    for   storing    tennis    nets,    bowls    and    croquet 
mallets. 

Whenever  a  stream  passes  through  a  garden  or  park,  a  bridge  of  some  sort  is  sure  Bridges. 
to  be  required.  Its 
character  and  design 
will  be  decided,  not 
only  by  the  size  of 
the  stream  which  it 
crosses,  but  also  by 
the  relative  import- 
ance of  the  road  or 
path  it  carries,  the 
size  and  extent  of  the 
domain,  and  its  posi- 
tion in  relation  to  the 
mansion. 

Many  materials 
may  be  adopted,  but 
whatever  the  sur- 
roundings or  circum- 
stances, it  will  gener- 
ally be  found  to  be 


FIG.    183. — SUMMER-HOUSE   WITH    LOGGIA. 


much   the   wisest   and 

most  economical  in  the 

end    to    build    in    stone    or    brick,    or    where   wood    must    be    employed,    in    wrought    oak 

strongly    and    well    pinned    together.       Iron    is   seldom    treated    satisfactorily    or    made    to 


FIG.      184. — END     OF     GLADE,     LEWISTON     MANOR.       (See     also     III.     Nos.      155     and     157). 


SUMMER-HOUSES,    PERGOLAS    AND    BRIDCxES. 


FIG.     185. — THE     BRIDGE,     CHATSWORTH,     FROM     THE     USUAL     VIEW-POINT. 


FIG.      l86. OLD    RAGSTONE    BRIDGE    AT    LYNMOUTH,    SHOWING    INFLUENCE    OF    LOCAL    MATERIALS 

ON     DESIGN. 

146 


SUMMER-HOUSES,    PERGOLAS    AND    BRIDGES. 


FIG.    187. — BRIDGE    IN   DEVONSHIRE    BUILT   OF   LOCAL   GRANITE. 


Stone 
bridges. 


harmonize   with    garden   scenery,   and    for    this    reason  does    not   appeal   to   garden   lovers.     Iron 
There   are,   however,   many   positions    where   it    may   be   used    with   perfect    propriety   and     bridges 
without   injury   to   the   most    beautiful   natural    scenes,    if   designed   in    keeping   with   their 
spirit   as  regards  the  main  proportions  of  the  structure,  and  it  is  kept  perfectly  plain   and 
free  from  cast-iron  filigree  ornament.      Even  better  results  may  be  obtained  by  combining 
iron    with    stone,    as    when    stone    bastions    or    pilasters,    crowned    by    sculptured    figures, 
support  a   perfectly  plain   girder  bridge,  as  in  so  many  parks   on  the  Continent.      The  one 
great  advantage  of  iron 
is  that  it  is  possible  by 
its  aid  to   cross   a  wide 
stream  or  gorge  at  com- 
paratively little  cost,  and, 
generally  speaking,  it  is 
only    under     such    con- 
ditions that  its  use  can 
be     encouraged     in    the 
garden,     for     it    is    un- 
questionable  that    stone 
or    brick    are    materials 
which    lend    themselves 
far    more    sympathetic- 
ally to  the  interpretation 
of   its  spirit. 

A  stone  bridge  need 
not  be  elaborate ;  in- 
deed there  are  few 
places  grand  enough  to 
stand  a  palladian  bridge 
such  as  that  at  Wilton, 
nor  will  there  often  be 
opportunity  for  one  on 
such  a  large  scale  as 
that  which  spans  the 
river  Derwent  at  Chats- 
worth  ;  and  even  in  this 
latter  classic  example, 
although,  from  the  usual 
view  point,  given  in 
illustration  No.  185,  the 
bridge  and  house  form 
a  logical  and  harmonious 
composition,  in  reality, 
aesthetic  connection  is 

a  little  lacking  and  the  spectator  feels  that,  either  the  more  formal  portion  of  the 
grounds  should  have  been  brought  into  relation  with  the  bridge  or  its  treatment  should 
have  been  somewhat  simpler. 

Whenever  the  bridge  is  visible  from  the  mansion  or  forms  a  part  of  the  pleasure 
grounds  or  park,  its  design  and  proportions  as  well  as  its  details  will  need  the  most 
careful  balancing  against  its  surroundings.  Especially  will  this  be  so  where,  as  at 
Ballimore,  in  Argyleshire,  illustration  No.  402,  it  forms  a  part  of  a  formal  terrace 
scheme  as  well  as  a  vantage  point  from  which  to  view  the  naturally  treated  stream 


Wooden 
bridges. 


Super- 
structures to 
bridges. 


^SSSg 

C*2Fj 


-  *-fv  ^ 

safe^T 


FIG.    l88. — BRIDGE    AT   MOUNT  STEWART. 


SUMMER-HOUSES,    PERGOLAS    AND    BRIDGES. 

shown   in   illustration   No.    261,   with    its   unstudied    sylvan    treatment   and   falling   torrent, 

for   here    it    must   harmonize   with   the   terrace  in   its   architectural  details   and   scale,   and 

yet,  on  the  other  hand,  there  must  be  nothing 
to  clash  with  the  natural  scenery  beyond,  nor 
must  it  form  a  hard  dividing  line  between  the 
two. 

As  in  the  case  of  terrace  walls  and  every 
other  form  of  garden  architecture,  the  style  of 
the  house  will  more  or  less  dictate  the  material 
and  style  of  the  bridge  if  the  two  are  near 
together,  while  in  other  cases,  local  conditions 
will  have  their  influence.  Thus,  in  illustration 
No.  187,  is  shown  a  bridge  erected  in  a 
West  Country  garden  in  which  the  local  granite 
was  used,  and  in  illustration  No.  186  an  old 
bridge  of  rag-stone,  each  being  stamped  with 
the  local  character  ;  while,  on  the  other  hand, 
the  design  of  one  for  the  Marquis  of  Bute, 
shown  in  illustration  No.  188,  was  influenced 
by  other  architectural  details  which  were  part 
of  the  same  scheme. 

Very  often  a  perfectly  simple  bridge  built 
of  rubble  walling  with  a  neat  flag  coping  will 

answer  all  purposes,  and  in  any  case  it  is  far  better  to  err   on  the  side  of  plainness  than 

to  obtain  an   ostentatious  result.      Smaller  bridges  still  should  be  constructed  of  oak,  but 

never  of  the  so-called  rustic  work,  which, 

besides  offending  the  canons  of  art  in  its 

design,  invariably  looks  either  brand-new 

or  dilapidated.     Where  a  wooden  bridge  is 

necessary,  it  should  be  a  straight-forward 

honest  piece  of   good   carpentry,  with   as 

much   quaint   construction    and    strutting 

as    this    will    allow    of.      Such    a    bridge 

will   outlast   a    number    of    the    so-called 

rustic    affairs    which    are    so    often    used 

because   they   are   cheap.      A   representa- 
tive design  for  this  class  of  work  is  given 

in   illustration    No.    189,    which   shows    a 

bridge   designed   by    the    Author   for   the 

late  Colonel    Sandys,    M.P.  ;    and    a   still 

more  rustic  wooden  erection,  suitable  for 

the  wild  garden,  is   shown  in   illustration 

No.    261. 

The  effectiveness  of  bridges  in  gardens 

may    often    be    enhanced    by    means    of 

some    form    of    superstructure,    such     as 

the   summer-house   shown    in    illustration 

No.    236  which   represents    the   outlet    to 

a  formal   canal   at   Kearsney  Court,   near 

Dover,   or,  in  other   instances,   a   pergola   may  not    only   stretch   the   whole  length   of   the 

bridge,  but  extend  along  the  path  on  either  side,  the  part   over  the  bridge  being  marked 


FIG.    189. — WOODEN    BRIDGE    AT    GRAYTHWAITE    HALL. 


148 


SUMMER-HOUSES,    PERGOLAS    AND    BRIDGES. 

by  extra  height  and  square,  arbour-like  broadenings  at  either  end.  Where  it  is  necessary 
to  have  a  gate  at  one  end  of  the  bridge,  this  affords  the  opportunity  for  many 
delightful  compositions,  and  if  the  bridge  is  of  stone  or  brick,  balustraded  panels  to  match 
the  design  for  the  gate  may  be  inserted  in  the  parapet  walls  over  the  centre  of  the 
arch.  In  other  cases,  where  the  stream  or  ornamental  canal  or  lake  is  large  enough 
for  a  boat,  delightful  combinations  of  bridge,  boathouse,  and  tiny  wharves  or  landing 
stages  may  be  arranged,  and  where  a  drop  in  the  water  level  can  be  obtained  at  the 
bridge  a  formal  cascade  may  be  incorporated. 

It  occasionally  happens  that  a  bridge  is  wanted  to  connect  two  portions  of  a  garden     Bridges 
intersected  by  a  public  lane  or  service  road,   but,  speaking  generally,  this  means  of  com-     ov^r  public 
munication   should   not    be   adopted   unless   the   obstruction   to   be   crossed   is  in   a   cutting 
or  otherwise   at  a  much   lower   level  than  the  gardens  on   either  side,   or  at  least  on   the 


SKETCH  LESION  >  PERGOLA 
«,  ROSE  TEMPffi 


FIG.    190. 

side  nearest  the  residence.  This  sinking  of  the  path  to  be  crossed  prevents  the  bridge 
from  being  placed  so  high  up  as  to  have  an  unrestful  appearance  from  the  gardens, 
which  it  must  have  if  it  is  ascended  by  a  large  number  of  steps,  and  where  the  ground 
on  the  far  side  is  lower  than  on  the  near,  a  terraced  effect  can  be  obtained.  It  is,  how- 
ever, a  mistake  to  use  a  bridge  in  such  positions  unless  the  conditions  are  favourable. 

Pergolas,  unlike  bridges,  are  required  in  almost  every  garden.  Though,  as  their  Pergolas. 
name  implies,  they  are  an  imported  feature,  they  differ  little  from  the  ancient  bower 
walks  either  in  construction  or  spirit.  The  latter  was  usually  made  of  hoops  of  iron 
placed  some  six  feet  apart,  forming  a  series  of  arches  clad  with  roses  or  climbers, 
while  the  former  has  a  strong  continuous  frame-work,  often  with  the  sides  filled  in  with 
laced  trellis,  or  wattles,  according  to  the  pleasure  or  purpose  of  the  maker. 

...  In  a  new  garden,  where  shade  is  very  difficult  to  obtain,  a  pergola  is  invaluable 
as  it  can  be  covered  in  a  very  short  time  with  foliage,  such  as  that  of  the  clematis 
montana,  honeysuckle,  foliage  vines  or  other  climbers,  and  so  prove  very  useful  until  the 
newly  planted  trees  have  had  time  to  grow  large  enough  to  afford  some  shelter.  Where 
it  is  not  desirable  to  obstruct  the  view,  a  roof  of  greenery  supported  on  pillars  would 
be  sufficient,  but  where  it  is  desired  to  obtain  privacy,  one  or  both  sides  would  be  filled 
in  by  trellis.  In  those  cases  where  the  pergola  skirts  one  end  or  side  of  a  tennis 
lawn,  and  is  to  be  used  as  a  shady  place  from  which  to  watch  the  game  or  in  which 


149 


SUMMER-HOUSES,    PERGOLAS    AND    BRIDGES. 


to  take  tea,  the  side  remote  from  the  lawn  would  be  filled  in  for  shelter  from  the  wind 
and  the  other  side  left  open,  with  or  without  a  handrail.  A  pergola  can  be  used  with  a 
particularly  happy  effect  where  it  can  be  built  over  a  path  dividing  two  distinct  portions 
of  the  grounds  which  it  is  desired  to  screen  from  each  other.  In  this  case  it  performs 
all  the  functions  of  both  pergola  and  fence. 

There  is  almost  unlimited  scope  for  originality  in  the  planning  and  designs  of  per- 
golas, for  not  only  may  they  be  of  almost  any  size  and  many  shapes  to  suit  varying 
circumstances,  but  also  may  be  made  in  many  materials  and  gradations  of  elaboration 
in  the  design.  From  the  graceful  and  elaborate  French  treillage  for  the  interior  of  the 

conservatory,  to  the 
simple  erection  of  un- 
peeled  larch  poles  for 
pergolas  in  outlying  por- 
tions of  the  grounds, 
is  a  very  far  cry,  and 
there  is  every  possible 
gradation  between  these 
extremes. 

Illustration  No.  388 
shows  a  somewhat 
elaborate  example  with 
stone  pillars  and  balus- 
trade of  renaissance 
design,  and  a  super- 
structure of  oak,  the 
roof  being  arranged  in 
domed  form,  at  the 
angles  where  the  pergola 
broadens  out  into 
arbours.  By  its  means 
shelter  is  obtained  on 
a  terrace  garden,  which 
on  the  side  on  which 
the  pergola  is  erected, 
is  raised  above  the 
natural  level  of  the 
ground  some  fifteen  feet, 

and  being  overlooked  from  part  of  Hampstead  Heath,  would  be  exposed  both  to  winds 
and  observation  without  some  such  screen.  Such  an  arrangement  will  often  be  useful 
on  the  principal  terrace,  next  to  the  house,  where  it  is  not  advisable  to  make  a 
verandah. 

Where  a  pergola  is  taken  completely  round  the  four  sides  of  a  formal  garden,  with 
some  architectural  feature  such  as  a  fountain  or  statue  to  mark  the  centre,  a  delightfully 
cloistered  effect  is  obtained  with  the  maximum  of  seclusion.  This  arrangement  is 
particularly  useful  where  the  garden  is  situated  among  unlovely  surroundings  as,  for 
instance,  in  a  manufacturing  district. 

For  other  less  prominently  placed  positions,  the  pillars  may  be  built  of  brick  or 
stone,  as  shown  in  illustrations  Nos.  190  and  191  ;  or  the  rough  monolithic  columns 
used  in  Italy  for  the  grape  vine  pergolas  may  be  employed,  and  where  a  lighter 
structure  still  is  suitable,  the  whole  erection,  including  the  posts,  may  be  in  wood,  as 
in  illustration  No.  192.  The  extent  to  which  local  materials  may  be  utilized  is  shown 


FIG.      igi. — -PERGOLA     PILLARS     OF     ROUGH     MASONRY. 


150 


SUMMER-HOUSES,    PERGOLAS    AND   BRIDGES. 


FIG.      ig2. — PERGOLA     ENTIRELY     OF     WOOD. 


FIG.     193. — COVERED     WAY     BETWEEN    HOUSE     AND     PARK     AT     GREENWOODS,     STOCK. 


SUMMER-HOUSES,    PERGOLAS    AND    BRIDGES. 

in  illustration  No.  384,  where  the  pillars  are  built  up  of  small  pieces  of  black  West- 
morland slate.  Although  ordinary  rustic  work  of  the  shapeless  description  is  quite  out 
of  place,  good  pergolas  for  the  outlying  portions  of  the  grounds  or  a  cottage  path  may 
be  made  of  unpeeled  larch  poles,  as  these  allow  of  sound  construction  and  definitely 
balanced  proportions.  In  other  cases  the  material  may  be  peeled  but  left  in  its  natural 
round  state,  peeled  poles  having  the  advantage  of  not  harbouring  insects  in  the  way 
those  with  the  bark  on  generally  do. 

Rustic  In  erecting  a  rustic  pergola,   the  most  generally  useful   size   is   about   eight  feet   wide 

Pergolas.  and  the  same  height,  placing  the  strong  upright  posts  about  six  feet  apart.  Bearers 
parallel  to  the  path  are  nailed  from  the  top  of  one  post  to  that  of  the  next,  and  cross 
bearers  to  span  the  walk  are  laid  on  them,  projecting  at  each  end  for  about  eighteen 
inches  beyond  the  line  of  posts.  Climbers  are  then  planted  against  the  posts,  and  the 
intervening  spaces  left  open  until  the  plants  have  grown  to  a  sufficient  size  to  be  trained 

over  the  trellis  which  is  subsequently  placed  between  the  posts. 
If  this  trellis  is  inserted  when  the  pergola  is  first  made,  it  will 
tend  to  create  the  impression  of  a  forest  of  naked  timber. 

The  great  danger  to  guard  against  in  the  formation  of 
such  a  pergola  is  a  flimsy  appearance,  and  one  way  of  avoiding 
this,  is  to  place  the  posts  in  pairs  about  a  foot  apart.  Illus- 
tration No.  194  shows  this  arrangement  and  will  provide 
suggestions  for  adaptation  to  many  varying  circumstances. 

Pergolas  need  not  always  be  of  the  usual  more  or  less 
long  and  narrow  form  over  a  path.  For  instance,  we  may  have 
a  perfectly  square  one  on  a  terrace  near  the  house,  for  use  for 
meals  in  hot  weather,  or  a  semi-circular  one  may  cover  a 
curved  seat  placed  centrally  at  ^  the  end  of  a  tennis  lawn  or  at 
the  end  of  a  broad  walk,  or  it  may  form  a  small  arc  of  a 
large  circle  like  that  shown  in  the  heading  of  this  chapter. 

Covered  Very    much    the    purpose    of    a    pergola    is    served    by    the    covered    way    shown    in 

ways.  illustration  No.    193,  which  was   erected   by   the   Author   to    connect   the  house   and   home 

park  in  grounds  laid  out  for  Adam  Ellis,  Esq.,  at  Stock,  Essex.  In  positions  where  a 
dry  path  at  all  seasons  is  required  to  connect  the  house  with  a  garden  house  or  smoke 
room,  or  to  provide  a  covered  way  from  the  highway  to  the  front  entrance  of  a 
suburban  residence,  such  an  arrangement  would  be  far  better  than  a  pergola  with  an 
open  roof.  In  other  situations,  instead  of  the  series  of  brick  arches,  quaintly  strutted 
oak  posts  could  support  a  pantile  roof,  or  in  a  stone  district,  stone  piers  and  lintels 
with  a  green  slate  roof  may  be  used,  or  even  rough-casted  arches  where  this  material 
covers  the  walls  of  the  house. 


FIG.    194. 


152 


w 


(X, 


w 

H 


W 
W 

« 
o 

C/} 


W 

K 
H 


O 

hH 

ta 


Misuse  of 

garden 

ornaments. 


CHAPTER    XI. 

In  the  last  chapter,  we  dealt  with  the  four  principal  architectural  accessories  of  the 
garden,  and  in  this  we  must  continue  the  same  subject  by  considering,  as  fully  as  space 
will  allow,  all  those  smaller  and  more  portable  features  which  form  fitting  subjects  for 
applied  art. 

Generally  speaking,  garden  furniture  of  every  description  suffers  in  repute  from  the 
very  indiscriminate  manner  in  which  it  has  been  used.  In  many,  one  might  almost  say, 
in  a  majority  of  gardens,  such  features  as  statuary,  vases  and  seats  are  dotted  about 
with  very  little  regard  to  their  surroundings,  and  so  look  absurdly  out  of  place.  In 
fact,  to  such  an  extent  was  this  done  in  the  case  of  statuary  in  the  gardens  laid  out 
during  the  first  half  of  the  last  century,  that  the  very  term  "  garden  statuary  "  calls  up 
to  the  mind  of  most  people  a  vision  of  hideous  plaster  figures  completely  spoiling  the 
whole  effect  of  natural  glades  or  sylvan  scenery,  seeming  almost  to  shiver  in  their  slight 
classical  drapery  as  the  green  drip  from  the  trees  falls  upon  them  and  covers  them  with 
dirty  streaks.  The  prejudice  thus  created  is  so  great  that  many  garden-lovers  would 
seem  to  be  unable  to  see  that  statuary  has  any  fitting  place  or  function  in  a  well-ordered 
pleasaunce,  and  yet,  where  else  could  it  be  so  effective  as  in  a  garden,  ostensibly  devoted 
to  the  leisured  cultivation,  expression  and  satisfaction  of  our  artistic  leanings  ? 

I  agree  most  wholeheartedly  that  poor  plaster  casts  from  the  antique  or  conventional  Statuary. 
figures  in  glaring  white  marble  are  totally  unsuited  to  our  purpose,  for,  quite  apart  from 
questions  of  subject  and  treatment,  their  hard  sharply  insistent  white  silhouettes  must 
cause  an  over -emphasis  of  the  point  they  are  supposed  to  adorn  ;  but  this  does  not  mean 
that  statuary  in  other  materials,  such  as  lead  or  bronze,  which  tones  and  harmonizes  with 
the  surrounding  greenery,  rightly  placed  and  in  keeping  with  its  setting  both  as  to  scale 
and  sentiment,  may  not  be  used  with  the  happiest  results. 

Severe  restraint  is,  however,  more  necessary  in  the  introduction  of  this  feature  than 
of  any  other,  simply  because  it  represents  the  last  and  culminating  point  in  the  com- 
position beyond  which  we  have  no  further  power  of  emphasis.  In  music,  the  sudden 
loud  crash  of  sound,  in  pictorial  art,  the  most  vivid  contrasts  of  tone  and  colour,  in 
rhetoric,  the  highly  figurative  hyperbole,  must  be  used  but  rarely  and  with  caution, 
because,  in  every  case,  they  represent  the  last  effort,  the  exhaustion  of  the  full  range 
of  the  powers  of  expression,  and  so,  in  the  employment  •  of  statuary,  which  takes  much 
the  same  position  in  our  own  art,  restraint  and  reserve  are  equally  necessary,  and  the 
highest  point  must  be  touched  but  seldom  and,  where  approached,  must  show  the 
evidences  of  a  master-hand. 

It  is  evident  that  the  subject  matter  of  a  statue  will  go  very  far  to  determine  its 
suitability  or  otherwise  for  a  place  in  the  garden,  but  this  does  not  mean  that  we  must 


155 


STATUARY,    TREILLAGE    AND    GARDEN    FURNITURE. 


Applied 
sculpture. 


Acroliths. 


fill  our  pleasaunces  with  representations  of  Ceres  or  our  woodland  glades  with  Dianas. 
Quaint  shepherds  and  shepherdesses,  such  as  those  shown  in  illustrations  Nos.  196  and  197, 
will  strike  a  rural  note  more  acceptable  to  modern  minds,  while,  if  a  more  classical 
subject  is  desired,  Cupids,  dryads,  satyrs  and  fauns  allow  of  almost  endless  scope  for 
taste  and  discrimination  in  their  posing,  placing  and  application.  Illustration  No.  199 
shows  a  little  lead  statue  of  Cupid  which  was  modelled  for  me  some  years  ago,  and 
which  I  have  reproduced  several  times  without  in  the  least  tiring  of  it.  In  fact  it 
has  that  special  quality  of  the  best  work  in  that,  instead  of  palling  through  familiarity, 
it  seems  to  grow  upon  one  the  more  one  sees  it. 

But  there  is  another  way  in 
which  this  form  of  garden  ornament 
may  be  used.  This  is  in  what  one 
may  call  "applied  sculpture,"  a 
good  instance  of  which  is  the  boy 
and  dolphin  fountain  shown  in 
illustration  No.  237.  Fountains 
invite  this  type  of  decoration  pro- 
bably more  than  any  other  form 
of  garden  equipment,  but  observa- 
tion of  existing  examples  shows  the 
necessity  for  great  caution  in  its 
choice  and  arrangement,  and  for 
care  that  none  but  the  best  obtain- 
able is  used. 

This  strong  insistence  on  the 
assertion  that  no  statuary  but  that 
which  is  really  good  should  be  given 
a  place  in  the  garden  does  not 
mean  that  it  must  be  excluded 
from  the  domain  of  the  man  of 
only  moderate  means.  Old  lead 
figures  of  real  merit  may  occasion- 
ally be  picked  up  for  quite  moderate 
prices,  and,  where  the  choice  has 
to  be  made,  •  I  would  strongly  advise 
the  acquisition  of  a  good  copy  of 
a  well-known  subject,  even  though 
it  lack  the  quality  of  uniqueness, 
in  preference  to  an  original  con- 
ception of  second-rate  artistic  merit. 
The  boy  and  dolphin  from  the  Uffizi, 

Mercier's  David  and  Goliath,  the  well-known  Greek  Slave,  and  the  half-dozen  specially  good 
Cupids  which  it  is  possible  to  obtain  can  never  pall  and,  though  often  repeated,  are  to 
be  preferred  to  the  generally  commonplace  original  creations  of  the  monumental  mason. 
Subjects  from  Greek  and  Roman  mythology  will  need  some  adaptation  to  their  use 
and  surroundings  if  they  are  to  be  successful,  but  there  is  one  feature  of  classical  orna- 
ment which  seems  to  adapt  itself  perfectly  without  the  slightest  rearrangement.  This  is 
the  acrolith,  which  from  its  nature  is  only  suitable  for  use  in  gardens  laid  out  on  formal 
lines  and  usually  in  conjunction  with  clipped  hedges,  where  it  can  be  used  to  divide  the 
hedge  into  bays  or  mark  the  position  of  an  opening,  as  in  illustration  No.  203.  It  may 
also  be  used,  however,  to  emphasize  the  termination  of  an  avenue  or  glade,  as  in  the 


FIG.  196. 


FIG.    197. 


156 


STATUARY,    TREILLAGE    AND    GARDEN    FURNITURE. 


FIG.    198. 


GARDEN    STATUARY. 


FIG.     199. 


FIG.     2OO. — PALAIS     ROYAL,     BRUSSELS,      SHOWING     THE     EFFECTIVE     USE     OF     ACROLITHS. 


157 


STATUARY,    TREILLAGE    AND    GARDEN    FURNITURE. 


tti 
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O 

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W 
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cfl 


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158 


STATUARY,    TREILLAGE    AND    fxARDEN    FURNITURE. 


view  1  give  of  the  Palais  Royal  at  Brussels  (111.  No.  200),  while  illustration  No.  201 
shows  how  a  pair  of  these  features  have  been  placed  so  as  to  break  up  a  plain 
wall  surface  and  give  character  and  finish  to  an  architectural  composition.  Illustration 
No.  204  gives  a  modern  adaptation  of  the  same  idea. 

Detached  columns  of  traditional  classic  design  often,  but  not  always,  surmounted  with 
statuettes  or  graceful  lead  urns  may  be  used  for  the  same  purpose,  as  shown  in  illustration 
No.  202,  which  is  an  instance  I  came  across  in  a  garden  at  Seville,  or  one  may  be  placed 
in  the  centre  of  a  formal  garden  to  be 
smothered  in  rampant  roses  or  clematis. 
Those    readers    familiar    with    the    Pare 
Monceau   at    Paris   will   also    remember 
what  a  charming  effect  may  be  obtained 
with  a  classic  colonnade  in  conjunction 
with    wild    foliage    and    water.      Some- 
times, too,  a  single  column  may  support 
a  cubical  block  of  stone,  the  four  faces 
of  which  bear  vertical  sundials  (111.  No. 

234)' 

The    sundial    is    a     feature    which 

allows  of  very  varied  treatment,  and 
there  are  examples  of  quaintly  conceived 
pedestals  supporting  a  polyhedrical 
block  of  stone  bearing  literally  dozens 
of  dials  on  its  various  facets,  each  one 
having  its  own  particular  markings 
carefully  calculated  in  accordance  with 
its  placing  in  relation  to  the  path  of 
the  Sun.  Such  arrangements,  however, 
and  also  the  huge  topiary  sundial  at 
Broughton  Castle,  partake  of  the  nature 
of  curiosities  or  freaks,  which,  however 
quaint  the  original  examples  may  be, 
cannot  be  repeated  indefinitely  without 
destroying  that  interest  which  belongs 
to  the  unique  and  curious.  Rather 
should  we  try,  in  this  as  in  every 
other  garden  feature,  to  combine  use 
with  beauty  and  grace  of  form,  and 
clothe  the  whole  with  that  sentiment 
which  belongs  naturally  to  the  subject 
of  so  much  literary  verse,  and  which 
has  come  down  to  us  with  an  unbroken 
record  of  usefulness  from  the  dark  ages. 

Unlike    some    other    antiques,    the 
sundial    will   not   usually    bear  removal 

from  its  original  surroundings  without  losing  the  whole  of  its  old-world  charm  and  becoming 
more  or  less  commonplace,  and  it  is  usually  therefore  much  better  to  design  one  to  fit  its 
surroundings  than  to  purchase  one  of  the  old  examples.  Again,  as  every  position  requires 
a  specially  designed  dial,  and  every  degree  of  latitude  a  differently  shaped  gnomon, 
once  a  sundial  is  removed,  it  cannot  be  relied  upon  to  register  correct  time. 

In  passing  it  may  be  explained  that  the  time  told  by  the  sundial  is  Solar  time,  which 


Detached 
columns. 


Sundials . 


FIG.     2O3. — ACROLITHS     AT     EITHER     SIDE     OF 
OPENING     IN     A     NEWLY-FORMED     HEDGE. 


STATUARY,    TREILLAGE    AND    GARDEN    FURNITURE. 


varies  slightly  according  to   the  seasons,   and  not   the   mean   time  to  which  we  are  accus- 
tomed.     There   is   also    this   difference,    that   whereas   we   use    Greenwich    time   throughout 

Great  Britain,  and  Eastern  Europe,  each  place  East  or  West  of  Greenwich  has,  of  course, 

its  own   meridian   and  its  own  time,  which 

is  registered  by  the  dial.     This  difference  is 

easily  found  by  reckoning  four  minutes  for 

every  degree  of  longitude  separating  the  site 

of  the  sundial  from  Greenwich.     This  gives 

us    Greenwich  solar   time,   and,    to   discover 

Greenwich    mean    time,    which   is  what   our 

watches  show,   it   is  necessary  to  consult  a 

special   calendar  which  shows  the  difference 

for   each   day  in  the  year  between  the  two 

systems,  or  the  calendar  may  be  so  arranged 

as   to    translate    local    solar    time    directly 

into    that    shown    by    ordinary    clocks    and 

watches.     In  most   of   the  better  dials,  this 

calendar  is  engraved  on  the  plate  itself,  and, 

in   vertical   dials   placed   on    the    four    sides 

of  a  block  of  stone,  such  as  that  in  illustra- 
tion   No.    234    previously   referred   to,    that 

which   would   face   North  may    be   omitted, 

substituting    for   it   a  plate    engraved    with 

the  calendar  and  other  interesting  informa- 
tion such  as  the  latitude  and  longitude,  the 

family   escutcheon,   the    date,    or    a    quaint 

sundial  motto. 

The  ordinary  horizontal  dial  plate  may 

also    be    given    additional    interest    by    the 

application    of   chaste    and    restrained    ornament.      The   centre    is,    of   course,    occupied    by 

the  dial  markings,  but  there  remain  the  margins  and  corners,  which  may  be  treated  with 

chased    ornament    or    bas    reliefs    in    the    manner    indicated    on    the    sketch    of    the    plate 

accompanying    illustration    No.    205. 

A   mechanical   sundial  has   recently  been   introduced,   which,    by   projecting   a   spot   of 

light    on    to    a   mark,    shows    Greenwich    mean    time   most    accurately    to    at    least    half    a 

minute,    but,    like    many    other    modern    improvements,    it    has    none    of    the    charm    and 

esthetic  interest  which  clings  around  the  old 
form  of  dial.  It  may  be  used  with  ad- 
vantage on  the  principal  terrace  opposite 
and  close  to  the  garden  entrance  to  the 
house  for  practical  purposes,  but,  in  other 
parts  of  the  pleasaunce,  the  older  form, 
with  its  graceful  gnomon  and  quaint  motto 
will  usually  be  preferred. 

Both  illustrations  Nos.  205,  206  and 
207  show  designs  for 
sundial  pedestals  which 
would  suit  most  positions 
where  it  is  desired  to 
give  emphasis  to  the 
FIG.  205.— DESIGN  FOR  A  SUNDIAL.  central  point  in  a  garden 


FIG.  204. — ACROLITH  IN  THE  FORMAL  GARDEN. 
BROCKENHURST. 


1 60 


STATUARY,    TREILLAGE    AND    GARDEN    FURNITURE. 


or  terrace  scheme,  while,  to  close  a  vista,  a  taller  arrangement  with  vertical  dials  is 
usually  more  suitable.  Vertical  sundials  also  form  a  very  appropriate  ornament  for 
garden  houses  or  for  placing  over  a  doorway  in  a  high  fruit  wall  or  over  the  garden 
entrance  to  the  house,  whenever  any  of  these  positions  will  provide  a  sunny  aspect. 


Before  turning  to  the  consider- 
vases  and  urns  of  stone,  bronze  or 
fault  in  most  vases  is  that  there 
soil.  The  best  of  all  methods  is 
wooden  soil  box  to  slip  inside  the 
months  of  the  year,  the  tree  or 
removed  for  shelter  without  dis- 
Illustration  No.  208  shows  a  square 
designed  to  meet  these  practical 
executed  in  terra-cotta  with  a  sur- 
grained  sandstone.  As  stated  else- 
especially  glazed  ones,  are  to  be 
a  form  of  this  material  can  be 
sentable,  it  is  better  for  vases  than 

be   made 

(.  -i — 

and    so 

more  .  . 

i 

soil.   The 

design 

executed 
effect- 


ation  of  wooden  garden  furniture, 
lead  must  be  mentioned.  The  great 
is  far  too  little  accommodation  for 
to  have  a  rough  and  strongly-made 
vase,  so  that,  during  the  worst 
plant  which  it  contains  may  be 
turbing  the  heavy  outer  casing, 
form  of  vase  which  I  specially 
requirements,  and  which  has  been 
face  closely  resembling  a  smooth- 
where,  other  kinds  of  terra-cotta, 
avoided  in  the  garden,  but  where 
obtained  which  is  aesthetically  pre- 
stone,  for  the  sides  and  bottom  may 

thinner, 
there  is 
room  for 
same  .  . 
-  might  be 


flu 


FIG.    2O6. — SUNDIAL   SHOWING   A    DUTCH    INFLUENCE    IN    ITS    DESIGN. 


v  e  r  y  .  . 
ively     in 

lead,   but   there   are   so   many   small   lead   cisterns   of   clever   and   quaint   old  workmanship 
to  be  obtained  which  will  answer  the  purpose  admirably  (His.  Nos.  209  and  210)  that  it  is 

hardly  necessary  to  make  one  specially 
unless  circumstances  demand  a  given 
size  and  shape,  or  a  number  of 
similar  pattern  are  required,  as  when 
they  are  to  be  placed  at  regular 
intervals 
along  a  ter- 
race walk  or 
instead  of 
finials  to  the 
balustrade. 
Lead  or 
stone  urns, 
such  as  those 
made  by  the 
Bromsgrove 
Guild  shown 
in  illustra- 
tions Nos.  2ii 
and  212,  are  FIG-  2o8_ 


Terra 


FIG.      207. 

eminently  ad- 
apted for  the  latter  purpose  but,   in  choosing  these,  care  should  be   taken   that   nothing   is 
introduced  into  the  garden  which  suggests  either   a   cinery   urn   or  the  one  beloved  of  the 
monumental  mason.      Of  these,  again,  and  also  the   pineapple  finial  which  fulfils  much  the 


Vases  and 

urns . 


161 


STATUARY,    TREILLAGE    AND    GARDEN    FURNITURE. 

same  purpose,  numbers  are  to  be  found  which  have  been  removed  from  old  houses,  and 
which  are  quite  as  good,  if  not  better,  than  modern  ones,  apart  from  the  interest  which 
their  history  may  give  them.  In  renaissance  gardens  they  were  often  placed  on  stone 
bases  or  used  as  finials  to  gate  pillars  or  to  mark  the  corners  of  the  terrace  walls. 


FIG.  209. 


LEAD     CISTERNS. 


FIG.    2IO. 


Wooden 

garden 

furniture. 


Turning  now  to  wooden  garden  furniture,  we  are  first  of  all  confronted  with  the 
question, — What  is  the  best  wood  to  employ  ?  A  long  experience  of  many  kinds  has 
convinced  me  that,  quite  apart  from  its  sentimental  advantages,  oak  is  without  a  rival 


FIG.  211. 


LEAD     VASES. 


FIG.     212. 


for  garden  purposes.  It  is  true  that  teak  is  very  good,  but  it  does  not  weather  to  such 
a  nice  colour  and,  being  a  foreign  wood,  does  not  seem  to  harmonize  so  well  with  its 
surroundings.  Oak,  too,  when  exposed  to  the  weather,  turns  a  beautiful  shade  of  silver- 


162 


STATUARY,    TREILLAGE    AND    GARDEN    FURNITURE. 

grey  which  is  exactly  complementary  to  the  prevailing  green  of  garden  foliage,  an  advan- 
tage which  other  woods  do  not  share.  It  is  obvious,  too,  that  wood  which  requires 
painting  cannot  be  so  satisfactory,  for  there  must  be  more  or  less  destruction,  or  at 

least  disfigurement,  of  any  climbers  growing  over  the  wood- 
work every  time  the  paint  is  renewed,  and  this  is  worse  still 
if  any  such  preservative  stain  as  Stockholm  tar  is  used, 
for  the  volatile  emanations  from  it  will  have  a  bad  effect 
on  the  climbers  for  months  after  application.  That  all  oak, 
if  in  at  all  large  pieces,  will  split  more  or  less  when 
exposed  to  the  weather,  however  well  it  is  seasoned,  need 
not,  I  think,  be  considered  a  detriment,  for  it  does  not 
appreciably  weaken  the  work,  and  gives  it  a  weathered  and 
rustic  effect  quite  in  harmony  with  its  surroundings. 

Wherever    oak    posts    are    buried    in    the    ground,    they     Burying 
should    be   placed   inside   an  ordinary  glazed  drain-pipe   and     oak  posts. 
the     space    between    the    two     be    filled    up    with    cement. 
The  top   of  the  pipe  may   be  level  with   the   surface   of  the  ground,   and  the   top   of  the 
cement  be  dressed  so  as  to  slope  away  from  the  post  on  all  sides.      Even  by  this  means 
it    is    impossible    to    obtain    an    absolutely    watertight    joint    between    the    wood    and    the 


CEMENT. 


DRY  RUBBISH 


FIG.  213. 


FIG.    214. 

cement,  for  the  latter  shrinks  somewhat  in  setting.  It  is  therefore  necessary  to  provide 
that  the  small  amount  of  wet  which  finds  its  way  into  the  nick  between  the  two  shall 
have  a  means  of  escape  at  the  lower  end,  or  the  post  will  rot.  This  is  easily  done  by 
burying  the  lowest  three  inches  or  so  of  the  post  in  dry  material,  such  as  clean  gravel, 
or  broken  stone  or  brick,  and  before  filling  in  with  the  cement,  placing  a  piece  of  felt, 
rag  or  waterproof  paper  on  the  dry  stuff  to  support  the  cement,  and  so  prevent  it  from 
mixing  with  the  dry  material  until  it  has  set.  The  wet  will  then  run  down  the  post 
and  get  away  through  the  dry  filling  at  the  bottom  of  the  pipe  (111.  No.  213). 

The  upper  ends  of  all  posts  where  exposed  to  the  weather  should  be  protected  with 
caps  of  wood  or  lead.  These  can  be  made  to  add  very  much  to  the  appearance  of  the 
post,  especially  if  the  caps  take  the  form  of  ball-finials  or  small  urns  (111.  No.  214). 

While  these  remarks  on  the  choice  and  preservation  of  timber  apply  equally  to  all 
garden  furniture  wholly  or  partly  constructed  of  wood,  they  have  particular  force  when 
applied  to  trellis. 


163 


STATUARY,    TREILLAGE    AND    GARDEN    FURNITURE. 

Trellis.  Mr.    Belcher,    in     a     most    able    paper    read     before     the    Royal    Institute    of    British 

Architects  made  some  remarks  concerning  it  which  apply  so  aptly  to  our  present  subject 
that  I  have  ventured  to  quote  him  at  some  length.  He  said  :—  '  Wherever  wood 
"  construction  has  been  in  vogue,  varied 
"  treatment  of  '  post-and-rail '  and  'lattice 
''  work  '  has  been  in  use  all  the  world 
"  over.  India  and  Burmah,  China  and 
"  Japan,  each  has  its  characteristic  treat  - 
"  ment  worked  out  with  wonderful 
"  elaboration  and  finish.  The  familiar 
"  Cairo  lattice  work  is  another  variety 
"  of  the  same  thing  in  the  East,  while 
"  every  European  country  on  which  the 
"  sun  shines,  has  its  own  method  of  afford- 


FIG.  215. 


"  ing    shade    and     shelter    by    trellis-work.     It    is   the  ease  and   facility  with   which  daring 

"  experiments   can   be  made  which  render   it  valuable.     It    can   be  altered  and  shifted    at 

'  pleasure    until    the    desired    effect    is    obtained    in    a    way    solid    and    valuable    material 

"  prohibits " 

'  In   the   art   of  laying  out    a   garden,   as   in   architectural   designs,   there   is   a   certain 
"  seductive    mystery    gained   by    partly    concealing    and    judiciously    screening    some    parts 

"  from  immediate  view.  By  this  means 
"  the  imagination  is  tempted  to  conjecture 
"  the  presence  of  hidden  delights  beyond, 


FIG.    2l6. 

"  and    interest   is   quickened    in   expectation    of    some    further   enchantment." 

"  Besides  the  fact  that  divisions  of  some    kind  are  necessary   for  such  surprises  to   the 
"  casual    visitor,    they    have  always   the  additional  and    permanent  advantage  of   affording 

"  seclusion,     quiet     and      comfort, 
flowers 
retreat, 


'  The  very  flowers  and  shrubs 
"  enjoy  the  retreat,  for  in  the 
"  shelter  they  luxuriate,  and  their 
«--o"  "  sweet  fragrance  is  not  dispersed 
"  by  rude  winds.  Tall  hedges  of 
"  yew,  laurel,  or  holly  form  sub- 
"  stantial  divisions,  but  years  must 
"  elapse  before  such  hedges  can  be 
"  effective.  And  here  the  common 
"  or  garden  trellis  will  prove  the  temporary  substitute.  Against  it  the  hedge  can  be 
"planted,  protected  and  trained.  On  the  wood  trellis  roses,  clematis,  jessamine  and 


FIG.    217. 


164 


FIG.    2l8. 


STATUARY,    TREILLAGE    AND    GARDEN    FURNITURE. 

"  honeysuckle     will    climb     readily,     and     show     their    preference    for    it    over    cold    and 
"  uncongenial  iron   rods   and  chains    of    wire." 

'  With  the  flexible  laths,  deep  archways  can  be  formed  in  the  trellis  division  just 
'  long  enough  to  form  a  dark  frame  to  the  picture  beyond.  Or  if  a  peep  is  required 
'  here  and  there,  a  few  laths  can  be  cut  and  a  bent  piece  or  hoop  of  wood,  circular  or 
"  oval,  inserted,  forming  an  unglazed 
"  window  in  the  trellis  or  hedge.  Should 
"it  be  desirable  that  the  upper  part  of 
"  a  high  screen,  or  parts  of  it,  be  more 
"  open  or  only  partially  hide  what  is 
"  behind  it,  then  the  trellis  can  be  cut 
"  into  patterns  more  or  less  open  as 
"  desired — sometimes  in  panels,  sometimes 
"in  a  running  pattern." 

In  designing  trellis  for  out-of-doors 
use,  it  is  first  of  all  necessary  to  re- 
member that  it  is  to  form  a  background  or  framework  on  which  to  display  growing  things. 
While  this  does  not  prohibit  the  adoption  of  a  design  which  shall  be  beautiful  in  itself,  its 
beauty  must  be  of  very  unassertive  order,  or  it  will  compete  with  that  of  the  flowering 
and  foliage  plants  with  which  it  is  adorned,  and  so  show  evidences  of  bad  taste  and 
ostentation  in  its  arrangement.  The  accompanying  designs  (Illustrations  Nos.  215,  216, 
217,  218  and  219)  will  show  exactly  what  I  mean,  and  will  supply  material  for  adaptation 
to  the  design  of  trellis  screens  for  different  sets  of  conditions.  In  designing  trellis  it 
is  also  necessary  to  remember  that  in  every  case  a  sufficient  number  of  both  horizontal 
and  vertical  pieces  must  be  provided  throughout  the  design  for  the  support  of  the 
climbers.  Thus,  any  kind  which,  over  a  considerable  area,  has  only  vertical  bars,  would 
prove  unsuitable  in  practice. 

The  cheap  expanding  portable  lattice,  which  is  such  a  poor  and  untidy  material  as 
generally  used,  may  make  an  exceedingly  cheap  and  neat  trellis  when  inserted  in  a  strong 
framing  of  pitchpine,  with  posts  about  three  inches  square  and  rails  about  three  and  a 
half  inches  deep,  and  two  and  a  quarter  thick.  It  may  also  be  combined  with  specially 
made  lattice  or  with  riven  oak  spads  in  a  variety  of  ways,  and  is  particularly  useful, 
when  framed  up  thus,  for  use  in  cottage  gardens,  if  finished  with  four  good  coats  of 
green  paint  of  good  and  lasting  quality.  % 

Trellis,  of  whatever  kind,  must  of  course  be  firmly  fixed  together  at  every  intersection 
of  its  members,  not  only  to  make  it  rigid  and  strong,  but  also  to  prevent  warping.  In 

the  case  of  oak 
trellis  this  may 
be  done  either 
with  wooden  pins 
or  copper  brads. 
Iron  nails  should 
never  be  used  in 
oak  as,  immedi- 
ately after  the 
first  shower  of 

rain  to  which  the  work  is  subjected,   black  stains  will  begin  to  appear  round  each.     Copper 
has  not  this  effect.     In  square  plain  lattice,  such  as  that  which  fills  in  the  spaces  between  the 
pillars  in  the  pergola  shown  in  illustration   No.    388,   oak  pins  are  extremely  effective  and. 
if   made  from  absolutely  dry   and   thoroughly  seasoned  material,   are   quite   satisfactory. 
Almost   all   the  drawings   for   pergolas    in   this   work   show   its  effective   application   to 


FIG.    2I(j. 


Design  of 

trellis 

screens 


165 


STATUARY,    TREILLAGE    AND    GARDEN    FURNITURE. 


Trellis  for 
covering 
walls . 


Openings 
in  trellis 
screens . 


Rose 
arches . 


Rose 

screens. 


varying  circumstances,  while  some  of  the  garden  plans  illustrate  uses  to  which  it  may 
be  put,  as,  for  instance,  in  screening  cropping  ground  from  the  tennis  lawn  in  the 
writer's  own  garden  (Illustration  No.  380). 

Trellis  for  covering  blank  walls  is  generally  best  made  in  perfectly  plain  squares 
about  nine  inches  between  the  laths  both  vertically  and  horizontally,  and  of  course  the 
framing  may  be  lighter  than  when  it  has  to  stand  alone.  Unless  it  is  made  of  oak,  it 
ought  to  be  so  fixed  as  to  be  easily  removable  from  the  face  of  the  wall,  as  far  as  may 
be  without  tearing  the  stems  of  the  climbers,  in  order  that  it  may  be  repainted  at 
intervals,  and,  if  the  wall  is  distempered,  as  so  many  roughcasted  walls  are,  this  will  be 
still  more  necessary  as  lime  distemper  is  very  injurious  to  the  foliage,  besides  looking 
very  untidy  when  splashed  on  it. 

An  opening  in  a  trellis  screen  to  allow  a  path  to  pass  through  it  always  provides 
the  opportunity  for  an  effective  arrangement.  It  is  very  rarely  that  the  screen  itself 

is  high  enough  to  allow  of  the  open- 
ing being  cut  through  it,  and  so  an 
arch  has  to  be  formed  over  the  path. 
The  central  part  of  the  pergola  in 
illustration  No.  192  will  show  how 
this  may  be  done  in  wood,  while  the 
rose  arch  in  illustration  No.  219 
indicates  how  an  iron  arch  may  be 
contrived  with  happy  effects. 

Rose  arches  may  of  course  stand 
alone  very  effectively,  and  if  a  series 
of  them  cross  a  straight  path  at 
intervals  of  eight  or  ten  feet,  we 
reproduce  the  old-fashioned  rose  bower 
in  its  best  and  most  satisfactory  form. 
The  iron  and  wire  arches  one  so  often 
sees  are,  however,  extremely  unsatis- 
factory things,  not  only  because  they 
are  flimsily-made  and  soon  lose  their 
shape,  but  also  from  the  fact  that, 
iron  being  a  rapid  conductor  of  heat, 
roses  and  other  climbers  are  checked 
in  their  growth  by  the  coldness  of 
the  material  which  supports  them. 
Such  an  arch  as  that  shown  in 
illustration  No.  220,  although  formed 
partly  of  iron,  is  not  open  to  this 

objection,  for,  by  the  time  the  roses  reach  the  iron  archbars,  they  are  well  established  in 
vigorous  growth,  and  are  not  affected  to  the  same  extent  by  the  change  from  wood  to 
iron.  Illustration  No.  221  shows  a  simpler  arrangement  constructed  entirely  of 
unpeeled  larch. 

Illustration  No.  222  shows  another  way  in  which  arches  of  this  kind  may  be  used  to 
form  a  screen  instead  of  trellis.  In  this  case  they  are  placed  side  by  side  instead  of  one 
behind  the  other,  and  probably  a  better  method  still  would  be  to  place  them  further 
apart  and  hang  light  chains  between  each  two,  on  which  to  train  the  climbers. 

Another  fence  of  the  same  kind  can  be  contrived  by  simply  erecting  posts  at  intervals 
of  say  ten  feet,  and  hanging  chains  between  them,  the  whole  being  clothed  as  densely 
as  possible  with  climbing  roses,  honeysuckle  or  clematis.  It  may  be  objected  that  the 


FIG.    22O. — ROSE    ARCHES    OF    IRON    WITH    OAK    POSTS. 


166 


STATUARY,    TREILLAGE    AND    GARDEN    FURNITURE. 


chains  would  swing  in  the  breeze  and  so  chafe  and  tear  the  climbers,  but  this  may  be 
prevented  by  fixing  the  centre  of  each  length  to  a  neat  stake  driven  into  the  ground. 
A  variation  of  this  arrangement,  which  will  suggest  many  others,  may  be  obtained  by 
erecting  a  low  trellis  fence  about  three  feet  high  and  carrying  the  posts  up  a  further 
four  feet  and  suspending  chains  between  them,  the  centre  of  the  chain  being  attached 
to  the  top  rail  of  the  fence. 

Such  screen  fences  of  trellis,  arches  or  rose  festoons  need  not  necessarily  be  in  straight 
lengths.  In  the  chapter  on  kitchen  gardens  we  have  shown  how  effectively  they 
may  be  used  in  a  circle  round 
the  dipping  well,  with  seats  backed 
against  them  and  arches  over  the 
pathways  approaching  the  well 
head.  They  may  also  be  used  in 
a  semi-circle  to  give  an  apsidal 
recess  round  a  semi-circular  seat, 
and  other  cases  will  occur,  such 
as  a  semi-circular  arrangement  of 
flower  beds  at  opposite  ends  of  a 
lawn,  which  will  need  the  shelter 
of  a  curved  fence  of  trellis  work. 

Traditional  French  treillege, 
which  is  a  highly  elaborated  form 
of  trellis  work  for  interior  decor- 
ation, has  been  mentioned  in  con- 
nection with  conservatories,  where 
it  is  generally  used.  It  is  too  highly 
decorative  for  general  use  in  the 
garden,  but  its  simpler  forms  may 
sometimes  be  employed  effectively 
in  relieving  the  bare  walls  of  the 
courtyard  to  a  town  residence 
when  they  are  viewed  from  the 
principal  windows.  The  ornament 
must  however  be  severely  restrain- 
ed, and  the  scrolls,  perspective 
panels  and  rococo  work  which 
characterise  the  original  examples 
should  be  omitted  as  too  flam- 
boyant for  use  out-of-doors  in  the 

English  climate.  As  in  all  the  other  trellis  illustrated,  the  effect  is  sought  rather  in 
the  disposition  of  the  parts  and  the  spacing  of  the  laths  than  in  supcradded  adornment. 
Such  trellis  could  only  be  graced  by  the  lighter  climbers,  which  would  not  hang  in  thick 
enough  masses  to  obscure  the  design  or  strain  the  thin  and  delicate  laths  which  are 
essential  to  it.  To  prevent  a  bare  effect,  trees  in  tubs  would  be  placed  in  front  of  it 
at  intervals,  varieties  which  bear  a  profusion  of  brilliantly  coloured  flowers,  and  which 
have  a  long  flowering  season  being  chosen  in  the  case  of  a  town  garden. 

Such  tubs,  of  which  designs  are  given  in  illustrations  Nos.  223,  224  and  225,  are 
essential  to  the  success  of  a  town  garden  in  a  small  courtyard,  where  it  is  necessary  to 
obtain  the  greatest  amount  of  bright  colouring  at  all  seasons,  and  there  is  not  room  for 
plants  which  are  not  actually  in  flower.  The  vases  previously  described  are,  of  course, 
indispensable,  but  they  cannot  be  included  in  great  numbers  without  over-elaboration,  so 


FIG.      221. — ROSE     ARCHES     OF     LARCH     WOOD. 


Treillege. 


Wooden 
tubs. 


167 


STATUARY,    TREILLAGE    AND    GARDEN    FURNITURE. 


Seats . 


FIG.   222. — A  ROSE  ARCH  SCREEN  AT  FOOTS  CRAY  PLACE. 

that,  although  they  must  be  used  to  emphasize  the  design  and  punctuate  particular  points, 
the  smaller  and  more  portable  tubs  will  also  be  required.  Filled  with  sweet  bays  of 
either  the  mop-headed  or  pyramidal  varieties  they  are  particularly  useful,  while,  in  the 
town  courtyard,  a  screen  of  greenery  may  be  contrived  by  placing  a  row  of  Thuja 
Lobbii  or  Cupressus  erecta  viridis  in  tubs  as  close  together  as  possible,  to  form  a  hedge. 


FIG.  223. 


It  is  on  a  paved 
country  house  over- 
lawns,  however,  that 
most  useful.  Such  a 
somewhat  exposed  to 
the  tub  is  far  better 
trived  in  the  paving, 
removed  in  the  Winter, 
also  be  placed  on  the 
wall  to  mark  the  sides 
or  at  intervals  to 


terrace  in  front  of  a 
looking  gardens  and 
the  tree-filled  tub  is 
position  is  usually 
winds,  and  therefore 
than  a  soil  bed  con- 
as  the  tree  can  be 
Tree-filled  tubs  may 
flat  coping  of  a  terrace 
of  flights  of  steps, 
punctuate  its  length, 
stone  finials  would  be 


FIG.  225. 


FIG.  224. 

and    especially    where 

too   formal   and   obtrusive.     For   such   positions    a    rather   squatter  tub  is  usually  desirable 
than  when  it  stands  inside   the   parapet   in   order   to   prevent    a   top-heavy  appearance. 

Garden  seats  may  be  of  wood,  stone  or  iron.  Of  these  three  materials  there  is  no 
doubt  that,  in  this  climate,  wood  is  the  only  one  which  is  really  satisfactory.  For 
eleven  months  of  the  year,  the  other  two  are  so  cold  as  to  be  quite  comfortless,  and 
even  dangerous  to  the  health,  though,  of  course,  there  is  no  reason  why  stone  seats 
should  not  be  fitted  with  a  wooden  grating,  which  can  be  removed  in  bad  weather,  and. 
in  the  case  of  a  classically  detailed  terrace  wall  which  demands  a  seat  on  traditional 


1 68 


STATUARY,    TREILLAGE    AND    GARDEN    FURNITURE. 

lines  in  the  same  material,  I  would  certainly  advise  that  this  be  done.  Elsewhere, 
however,  wood  will  look  more  in  keeping  with  the  sentiment  of  the  English  garden. 

Within  the  last  few  years  there  has  been  a  great  improvement  in  the  design  of  the 
general  run  of  garden  seats,  though  examination  of  a  few  examples  will  show  that  too 
much  attention  has  been  paid  to  the  effort  to  copy  the  general  lines  of  pre-Georgian 
work  without  giving  sufficient  care  to  the  relation  and  proportioning  of  parts.  Most  of 
the  designs  seem  to  lack  definite  purpose  in  their  conception  and  execution,  and  in  those 
given  (Ills.  Nos.  226,  227,  228,  229,  230  and  231)  an  attempt  has  been  made  to  over- 
come this  de- 
fect, and  to 
give  a  seat  of 
comfortable 
proportions 
without  sacri- 
ficing grace  of 
form.  The 
usual  length 
for  such  seats 
is  six  feet, 

but,  of  course,  for  special  positions,  from  five  feet  to  twelve  feet  long  may  be  necessary. 
Where,  however,  the  length  exceeds  nine  feet,  an  extra  arm  dividing  it  into  two  parts 
is  often  desirable. 

For  woodland  walks  and  outlying  parts  of  the  grounds,  very  simple  designs  are 
usually  best.  A  very  good  form  is  that  in  which  the  back  is  made  of  solid  boards  and 
is  hinged  so  as  to  close  over  the  seat  and  keep  it  clean  when  not  in  use.  Such  a 
contrivance  may,  with  care,  be  made  quite  neat  and  in  keeping  with  its  sylvan 
surroundings. 

Of  iron  seats,  it  may  be  said  with  truth  that  most  of  the  existing  patterns  are 
atrociously  ugly,  and  not  very  comfortably  proportioned.  There  is  no  reason  why  this 


FIG.    226. 


FIG.    227. 


FIG.  228. 


FIG   229. 


should  be  so,  and  the  writer  has  seen  Georgian  examples  in  that  most  intractable  of  all 
materials,  cast  iron,  which  were  charming  in  every  way.  It  is  the  more  modern 
productions  with  their  ridiculous  filigree  ornament  which  offend  the  canons  of  taste  to 
the  greatest  degree. 

Curved  seats  are  often  required,  and  are  particularly  suitable  for  placing  at  the 
end  of  a  garden  vista,  when  additional  point  may  be  given  to  the  arrangement  by 
marking  the  centre  from  which  the  curve  is  struck  by  a  sundial  or  a  choice  piece  of 
statuary  on  a  tall  pedestal.  Illustration  No.  232  shows  a  similar  arrangement  which 


169 


STATUARY,    TRETLLAGE    AND    GARDEN    FURNITURE. 


Dovecotes. 


would  lend  itself  particularly  well  to  adaptation  for  use  in  the  garden  attached  to  a 
classical  mansion  at  the  end  of  a  vista  formed  by  a  path  between  herbaceous  borders.  The 
most  useful  size  is  nine  feet  long  measured  straight  across  between  the  two  ends,  but,  of 
course,  in  almost  every  case,  such  seats  will  have  to  be  made  exactly  to  suit  their  particular 
surroundings,  both  as  to  size  and  the  amount  of  elaboration  or  simplicity  in  the  design. 


FIG.  230. 


FIG.  231. 


Dovecotes  are  extremely  decorative  features  where  it  is  possible  to  introduce  them, 
but,  unfortunately,  the  havoc  wrought  by  the  doves  in  the  flower  garden  prevents  their 
extended  use.  Illustration  No.  233  shows  a  design  erected  in  a  garden  laid  out  by 

the  Author.  In  even  such  small  dovecotes 
as  this,  the  interior  should  be  divided  up 
into  a  series  of  boxes  with  only  one  entrance 
to  each.  The  usual  size  is  about  twelve 
inches  every  way,  but  fan-tailed  birds  should 
be  given  a  little  more  room  if  possible. 
Where  it  is  desired  that  the  birds  should 
breed  readily  this  is  still  more  necessary, 
and,  if  possible,  there  should  be  a  second 
nesting-box  opening  out  of  the  first.  That 
the  dovecote  and  the  nests  can  easily  be 
kept  clean  is  the  most  necessary  requirement 
in  their  design,  and  inaccessible  corners 
which  cannot  be  reached  for  cleaning  are  to 
be  avoided.  Dovecotes  contrived  in  the 
gables  of  out -buildings  and  summer-houses 
are,  of  course,  more  practical  than  those 
of  the  form  illustrated,  where  the  doves, 
and  not  the  quaint  erection  itself,  are 
the  attraction,  or  where  a  considerable 
number  are  to  be  kept.  Attached  to 
several  of  the  old  manor  houses  of  England 
are  large  circular  dovecotes  about  twelve 
feet  in  diameter,  the  brick  or  stone  walls 
of  which  are  honeycombed  throughout  with 
nesting  holes.  A  large  framework  supporting 

a  ladder  is  built  to  a  circular  post,  which  is  placed  in  the  centre  of  the  building,  so 
that  the  whole  can  be  revolved  and  any  one  of  the  hundreds  of  nests  be  reached  at 
will.  The  walls  are  about  fifteen  feet  high,  and  support  a  conical  roof  which  has  a 
lantern  at  its  apex  to  accommodate  the  pigeon  holes  by  which  the  birds  pass  into  and 
out  of  the  building. 


STONE  GARDfrl  SEAT 
HAGUE 


FIG.    232. 


170 


STATUARY,    TREILLAGE    AND    GARDEN    FURNITURE. 


Illustration  No.  417  shows  the  exterior  of  an  aviary  which,  though  not  designed  by 
the  Author,  forms  a  very  welcome  adjunct  to  one  of  his  garden  schemes.  It  is  remarka- 
ble that  such  features  are  not  more  common  than  they  are,  as  they  not  only  add  variety 
to  the  other  charms  on  the  garden,  but  allow  of  effective  decorative  treatment. 

Although  very  few  domains  possess  a  sheet  of  water  large  enough  for  boating,  this 
chapter  would  hardly  be  complete  without  some  reference  to  boathouses  and  water 
pavilions,  for  there  are  many  lake-side  and  river  gardens  which  will  require  these  adjuncts. 

Boathouses  will  vary  very  much  in  design  and  accommodation,  according  to  circum- 
stances, from  a  simple  shelter  to  accommodate  a  rowing  boat,  a  couple  of  canoes,  or  a 
Thames  punt  (111.  No.  235),  up  to  the  more  pretentious  erection  required  for  use  with 


Boat- 
houses. 


FIG.    233. 


FIG.    234. 


the  sailing  boats  used  on  the  English  Lakes,  which  will  have  to  be  provided  with  wet 
and  dry  docks.  In  any  case  where  the  erection  is  large  enough  to  give  the  necessary 
base-line  for  a  properly  proportioned  building  of  two  storeys,  a  tea-room  partly  built 
into  the  roof  in  a  quaint  manner  and  with  a  broad  outlook  over  the  sheet  of  water, 
cannot  fail  to  be  a  much-appreciated  feature.  In  the  Winter,  too,  when  not  required 
for  its  more  legitimate  purpose,  it  may  be  used  for  storing  and  redecorating  the  boats, 
and,  for  this  reason,  should  be  provided  with  a  fireplace,  if  possible  in  an  old-fashioned 
deep  ingle.  In  other  cases,  the  room  over  the  boat  shelter  may  be  arranged  as  a 
dressing-room,  with  a  staircase  giving  convenient  access  to  the  water  near  the  entrance  to 
the  wet  dock,  so  that  it  may  be  entered  by  bathers  without  encountering  a  cold  wind. 


171 


STATUARY,    TREILLAGE    AND    GARDEN    FURNITURE. 

While  a  rustic  appearance  will  usually  be  desired  for  a  boathouse  which  stands  on 
the  margin  of  a  picturesque  river  or  lake,  this  should  be  obtained  solely  by  simplicity 
of  treatment  and  not  by  any  of  the  tricks  of  the  so-called  rustic  builder.  Where  stone 
is  the  native  building  material,  rough  strong  work  in  squared  rubble,  without  any  dressed 
stone  beyond  that  which  is  absolutely  necessary  to  the  arched  entrance  to  the  wet  dock, 
should  result  in  an  erection  which,  when  smothered  in  ivy  and  other  native  creepers,  will 
be  quite  in  harmony  with  its  surroundings.  The  arch  itself  should  be  semicircular  in 
form,  and  neither  elliptical  nor  pointed,  either  of  which  would  look  artificial  and 
unrestful. 


FIG.     235. — SMALL     BOATHOUSE     WITH     SHELTER     OVER. 

Water  Water    pavilions   will    be   still   more   rarely    needed,    and    their   design   will   depend    so 

pavilions.  much  on  local  circumstances  that  it  is  impossible  even  to  lay  down  any  general  rules  for 
their  arrangement.  It  is,  however,  evident  that  a  strong  influence  in  this  direction  will 
be  exerted  by  the  reflections  of  the  building  in  the  water,  as  they  will  double  its 
length  without  increasing  its  breadth.  The  design  therefore,  while  it  makes  the  most 
of  this  added  length,  should  possess  strongly  marked  horizontal  lines  to  balance  the 
lengthwise  perspective.  The  Chinese  water  pavilions  which  were  so  mistakenly  introduced 
into  this  country  a  hundred  years  ago,  at  least  pointed  the  way  in  the  direction  just 
advocated,  and  our  aim  should  be  to  achieve  the  same  result  in  a  less  exotic  style 
of  architecture. 


172 


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DECORATIVE 


CHAPTER    XII. 

From  childhood  to  old  age,  water  in  its  many  natural  and  decorative  forms,  has  an 
indescribable  fascination  for  the  mind.  No  doubt  the  reason  for  this  is  found,  at  least 
to  a  very  large  extent,  in  its  variableness.  Its  surface  alters  with  every  shower  which 
feeds  it,  every  change  in  the  sky  it  reflects,  every  variation  in  the  breezes  which  touch 
its  surface,  every  stage  in  the  changing  seasons  and  every  hour  of  rotating  day  and 
night,  so  that  it  may  be  said,  with  perfect  truth,  that  never  do  we  see  it  under  the 
same  conditions  twice  and  never  is  its  surface  the  same. 

There  is  another  way,  however,  in  which  water  appeals  to  us,  and  that  is  in  its 
marvellous  facility  for  adapting  itself  to  its  surroundings.  On  the  wild  mountain  side, 
it  rushes  headlong  over  the  rugged  precipice  with  a  dull  roar  which  adds  to  the  wildness 
of  the  prospect,  and,  on  the  other  hand,  in  the  peaceful  meadow,  it  flows  still  and 
silently,  its  surface  perhaps  scarely  ruffled  by  passing  breezes  and  in  perfect  harmony 
with  browsing  kine  and  gently  waving  reeds. 

It  is  only  when  man,  neglecting  the  lessons  of  Nature,  tries  to  reproduce  her  in- 
comparable beauties  on  a  mean  scale  by  feats  of  obtrusive  engineering,  that  water  can 
fail  to  please.  Here  we  may  take  our  first  and  most  primitive  rule  for  its  use  in  our 
gardens,  never  to  belittle  Nature  by  feeble  imitation,  but  where  the  conditions  will  not 
allow  of  the  introduction  of  water,  shall  we  say,  on  its  own  terms  and  among  purely 
natural  surroundings,  to  treat  it  in  an  honestly  and  confessedly  conventional  manner,  in 
keeping  with  the  rest  of  the  scheme  and  in  scale  with  the  whole,  whether  it  be  as  the 
lordly  canal  before  a  renaissance  mansion  or  the  quaintly  detailed  bird-bath  before  a 
cottage  window. 

We  need  never  fear  that,  in  training  it  to  conventionalized  uses,  we  shall  destroy 
its  charm.  In  whatever  way  it  is  employed,  where  it  rises  or  falls  it  will  provide  a 
brilliant  high-light,  where  it  lies  still,  a  deep  mysterious  shade,  and  where  it  ripples  over 
a  shallow  place,  the  very  essence  of  joyous  life  ;  at  all  times  a  sensation  of  coolness  and 
freshness  and  a  temptation  to  rest. 

Although  many,  perhaps  most,  gardens  have  to  be  content  without  water  in  any 
form,  it  may  be  questioned  whether  they  are  really  complete  without  it,  if  only  a  small 
pond,  reflecting  and  blending,  in  thousands  of  beautiful  ways,  the  hues  of  flowers,  foliage 
and  sky,  at  the  bidding  of  every  passing  breeze  ;  or  but  a  swamp  pool,  hidden  away  in 
cool,  fern-embowered  shade  and  fringed  with  luxuriant  masses  of  bulrush,  iris  and  sedge. 

In  devising  the  form  in  which  water  shall  be  introduced  into  the  garden  and  the 
design  of  its  receptacle,  there  is  a  vast  range  for  the  exercise  of  the  imaginative  and 
creative  faculties. 


Water's 

fascinating 

qualities. 


175 


THE    DECORATIVE    TREATMENT    OF    WATER. 


Water's 

many 
applica- 
tions in  the 
garden. 


Fountains. 


The  landscape  gardener,  in  his  naturally  arranged  lake  and  waterfall,  endeavours  to 
create  a  sense  of  breadth  and  rural  simplicity,  while  the  scholar,  inspired,  possibly,  by 
the  classical  Italian  and  old  English  examples,  prefers  the  elegance  of  the  circular  or 
geometrically  planned  pond  ;  and  each  is  right  in  his  own  sphere.  All  schools,  however, 
agree  that  water  in  some  form  is  desirable — the  Italians  in  their  numerous  cascades, 
fountains  and  pools,  as  at  the  Villa  d'Este  ;  the  French  in  the  virile  and  heroic 
compositions  of  le  Notre  at  Versailles,  and  the  Japanese  and  English  in  their  freer 
but  equally  distinctive  styles. 

It  is  seldom  that  an  opportunity  occurs  in  an  English  garden  for  formal  arrangements 
of  water  on  the  scale  which  gives  character  to  so  many  Italian  and  French  gardens. 
Even  in  the  larger  public  parks  we  feel  instinctively  that  elaborate  and  theatrical  displays 
of  waterworks  are  out  of  place  and  out  of  keeping  with  the  prevailing  national  spirit. 
In  this  country,  large  sheets  of  water  are  more  often  obtained  by  flooding  valleys  or 
low-lying  land,  the  resulting  lake  or  pond  having  an  outline  which  follows  the  natural 
contours  of  the  surrounding  rising  ground,  an  arrangement  which  suites  our  homely 
landscape  far  better  than  those  in  which  engineering  feats  are  much  in  evidence.  We 
have,  however,  many  formal  arrangements  of  water  which,  though  on  a  smaller  scale 
than  the  classic  examples  just  quoted,  are  more  suited  to  their  environment,  such  as 
the  canals  of  Hampton  Court,  Chatsworth  and  Melbourne,  Derbyshire,  or  the  Round  Pond 
at  Bushy  Park.  In  other  places  where  gardens  with  smooth  lawns  bound  a  river  on 
either  side,  as  at  Clare  College,  Cambridge,  the  river,  lawns  and  any  accompanying 
architectural  features  may  be  grouped  into  one  formal  composition  with  excellent 
results  and  even  where  only  one  side  of  the  river  is  available  for  treatment,  as  at 
Trentham  or  Drakelow,  Derbyshire,  a  successful  formal  arrangement  may  be  evolved. 

These,  however,  are  schemes  which  are  only  adapted  to  large  gardens  accompanying 
palatial  mansions  and  for  use  in  the  home  park,  and  it  is  in  the  garden  near  the  house 
that  water  is  most  entrancing.  Fortunately  there  are  so  many  ways  in  which  it  may 
be  adapted  to  varying  circumstances  that  few  gardens  need  be  without  it  in  one  form  or 
another.  The  manner  of  its  introduction  will  not  only  be  dependent  upon  the  character 
of  its  surroundings  and  its  position  in  relation  to  the  residence,  but  also  upon  the  volume 
and  pressure  of  the  supply  and  whether  it  can  be  obtained  on  the  estate  or  must  be 
brought  from  a  distance,  also  whether  it  must  be  paid  for  by  meter  or  otherwise.  If 
the  supply  is  from  a  stream  passing  through  the  grounds,  a  good  head  of  water  would 
suggest  a  series  of  cascades,  while  if  the  stream  were  one  of  those  sleepy  rivulets  so 
characteristic  of  the  home  counties,  then  the  obvious  treatment  would  consist  in  the 
arrangement  of  a  formal  lily  pond  or  ornamental  canal  in  which  iris,  reeds,  or  other 
water-loving  plants  might  be  naturalized. 

Having  thus  touched  briefly  upon  the  introduction  of  water  into  the  design  of  the 
garden,  and  mentioned  its  various  forms,  we  may  now  proceed  to  deal  with  each  of  these 
more  in  detail. 

By  far  the  most  generally  useful  of  all  these  is  the  fountain,  in  one  or  another  of 
its  many  kinds,  which  vary  from  the  single  jet  rising  from  a  simple  pond  to  the  elaborate 
and  sculptured  designs  for  which  Versailles  is  famous.  The  choice  is  therefore  a  wide 
one,  but,  as  in  every  other  feature  of  the  English  garden,  while  the  design  and  degree 
of  elaboration  should  express  a  full  sense  of  the  relative  importance  of  its  position  in 
relation  to  surrounding  features,  it  is  far  better  to  err  on  the  side  of  too  simple  a 
treatment  than  too  great  complexity  and  over-elaboration. 

In  nine  cases  out  of  ten  where  a  fountain  is  well  placed,  it  will  form  part  of  either 
a  formal  terrace  scheme  or  the  central  ornament  in  an  old  English  formal  garden  such 
as  a  rose  garden.  In  the  former  instance,  if  the  position  is  at  all  exposed,  it  may  not 
be  possible  to  have  a  rising  jet,  as  the  wind  would  blow  it  clear  of  the  basin  into  which 


176 


THE  DECORATIVE  TREATMENT  OF  WATER. 


it  should  fall,  and  so  prevent  the  terraces  from  being  used  at  all  on  its  leeward  side,  Fountains 
while  in  the  case  of  the  formal  garden,  which  would  usually  be  enclosed  with  tall  clipped  in  exposed 
hedges,  there  would  be  ample  shelter.  Neglect  of  the  effect  of  winds  on  the  fountain  Positions. 
is  the  cause  of  more  failures  than  any  other  factor.  If,  whenever  there  is  more  than 
the  gentlest  breeze,  it  renders  all  its  surroundings  damp,  there  will  be  comparatively 
few  occasions  when  it  can  be  used,  and  the  extent  to  which  the  water  may  be  blown 
is  very  little  realized  by 
those  who  have  not  ex- 
perienced it.  To  quote 
an  example  which  will 
be  familiar  to  everybody, 
the  writer  has  felt  the 
spray  from  the  fountains 
in  Trafalgar  Square,  Lon- 
don, at  the  corner  of 
Cockspur  Street,  on  an 
exceptionally  windy  day, 
even  though  in  this  case 
there  is  considerable  shel- 
ter from  the  surrounding 
buildings.  On  an  ex- 
posed terrace,  therefore, 
it  is  far  better  to  allow 
the  water  to  spout 
downwards  into  a  series 
of  basins,  as  in  the 
well-kno-wn  example  at 
Revelstoke,  or,  where 
there  is  not  sufficient 
pressure  on  the  supply 
main  for  this,  to  be 
content  with  a  bubble 
fountain.  One  instinc- 
tively feels  that  the  best 
place  for  a  fountain  is 
an  enclosed  court  of  some 
kind  where  the  still  air 
might  be  oppressive  on 
a  hot  day  were  it  not  for 
the  sensation  of  coolness 
and  freshness  imparted 
by  the  falling  water,  and 
it  is  here  that  the  rising 

jet  will  be  least  liable  to  be  blown  about.  In  such  cases  the  light  feathery  streams 
may  rise  from  the  surface  of  the  water,  or  where  more  elaboration  is  called  for,  a 
group  of  statuary,  such  as  the  boy  and  dolphin  shown  in  illustration  No.  237  may  be 
introduced.  The  height  to  which  the  jet  should  rise  and  the  diameter  of  the  pond  into 
which  it  falls,  should  be  carefully  proportioned,  and,  generally  speaking,  heaviness  in  the 
effect  on  the  one  hand  and  a  liability  to  overflow  on  the  other  will  be  avoided  by  making 
the  latter  very  slightly  more  in  diameter  than  the  height  of  the  former.  At  Drakelowe, 
Derbyshire,  there  is  a  well-balanced  arrangement  consisting  of  a  circular  stone  basin  with 


FIG.     237. — BOY     AND     FISH     FOUNTAIN. 


177 


THE    DECORATIVE    TREATMENT    OF    WATER. 


o 

25 


25 
O 
H 
C/5 


p 
o 

25 
H 


oo 
M 

6 


1/8 


THE  DECORATIVE  TREATMENT  OF  WATER. 


a  simple  stone  verge  level  with  the  grass,  and  in  the  centre  a  bronze  figure  supporting 
the  jet,  while  at  Lewiston  Manor  (111.  No.  238)  the  Author  designed  a  simple  fountain 
of  this  kind,  which  is  surrounded  by  a  basin  edged  with  two  concentric  steps  leading 
down  to  the  water,  the  upper  one  level  with  the  surrounding  paths,  thus  obtaining  a 
strongly  marked  line  of  enclosure  without  over-elaboration.  Many  other  well-known 
examples  will  no  doubt  be  familiar  to  the  reader. 

A  single  jet  may  also  be  used  in  conjunction  with  formal  lily  ponds,  such  as  that 
at  Wych  Cross,  Sussex,  shown  in  illustration  No.  240  ;  or  two  such  jets  may  rise  from 
either  end  of  a  long  pond,  as  at  Athelhampton  Hall,  Dorsetshire,  and  wherever  there 
is  a  tendency  for  any  formal  canal  or  pond  to  appear  at  all  stagnant,  such  a  fountain 
may  be  used  to  remove  this  impression. 


Simple 
designs. 


FIG.     239. — FOUNTAIN     AT     ROME. 

Turning  now  to  more  elaborate  fountains,  we  are  at  once  struck  with  the  very 
unaccountably  large  proportion  of  failures  we  meet  with  in  their  design  and  placing.  If 
we  dismiss  the  cast-iron  fountain  made  from  the  iron-founder's  stock  patterns  as  being 
too  vulgar  for  even  serious  condemnation,  we  still  find  that  most  of  the  remaining  stone 
or  terra-cotta  fountains  with  any  pretensions  to  elaboration  are  quite  unworthy  of  the 
positions  which  they  occupy.  With  regard  to  the  latter  material,  it  is  sufficient  to  say 
that,  while  there  would  seem  to  be  no  valid  reason  why  effective  erections  should  not 
be  possible  in  the  more  sober-coloured  and  stone-like  surfaced  terra-cottas,  it  has  seldom 
been  done,  possibly  because  the  many  meretricious  designs  produced  by  the  manufacturers 
of  this  material  have  disgusted  capable  men  with  it.  The  reason  for  the  preponderance 
of  heavy  and  over-elaborated  stone  fountains,  with  the  highly  polished  granite  columns 
and  freestone  caps  surrounded  by  elaborately  foliated  cusps  which  form  their  stock 
ornament,  is  more  difficult  to  find,  and  one  can  only  conclude  that  the  great  importance  of 
a  well-balanced  design,  with  the  details  carefully  proportioned,  is  not  generally  understood 


More 

elaborate 

fountains. 


179 


THE    DECORATIVE    TREATMENT    OF    WATER. 


C/3 

o 
o 

u 


a 
a 
H 
i 


180 


THE  DECORATIVE  TREATMENT  OF  WATER. 

by  the  owners,  and  that  the  work  is  therefore  left  in  the  hands  of  incapable  persons, 
instead  of  being  entrusted  to  the  architect  of  the  residence,  who  would  be  anxious  that 
nothing  should  be  placed  in  close  K  proximity  to  it  which  would  not  be 

designed  in  a  harmonious  spirit.     Be  (^X.  this  as  it  may,  there  is  room  for  vast 

improvement    in   the   design   of   these         !&(3A  features    both    for    public   parks    and 

private    gardens    if    they    are    to    be  Wft\  worthy   the   prominence   which,    from 

their    very    nature     and     use,     their    .TV      y|  IF  position    in    the    scheme    must    give 

them.      Unless  the  very  best  of  both  4J  design     and     workmanship     can     be 

obtained,  it  is  far  better  that  elabor-  /TV  ation  should  not  be    attempted,   and 

that     we     should     be    content    with  jim  a 

portions.  What  could 
than  the  almost  severe 
lines  of  the  old  example 
illustration  No.  239. 

Three    examples    of 
shafts    are 
first  (Illustra- 
242)      there 
shaft   rising 


basin  of  well-balanced  pro- 
be better,  for  instance, 
simplicity  and  graceful 
from  Rome  shown  in 


per  basin 
with  three 
porting  a  fur- 
fa  a  s  i  n  from 
water  falls  in- 
basin  at  the 
shaft 


7 


FOLNTAN 
LEET  COURT 


sculptured  fountain 
given.  In  the 
tion  No. 
is  a  central 
from  the  up- 
ornamented 
figures  sup- 
trier  small 
which  the 
to  the  larger 
foot  of  the 


FIG.    241. 

and    from   thence   into   the    pond   below.      In   the   second    (No.   241),   a    fountain    of 


r°v/iTAi/i  °n 


FIG.    242. 

a  more  usual  type  suitable  for  almost  any  position  is  given,  while  in  the  third  illustration 


181 


Fountain 
basins. 


THE  DECORATIVE  TREATMENT  OF  WATER. 

(No.   243)   is  shown   a  small  but   very  chaste  design   which   is  suitable   for   many  positions 
where  a  large   fountain   pond  is  impossible,  and   which  in  the  shaft  at    least   bears  evident 


traces  of  Albert  Gilbert's 
Such  a  fountain  might 
terrace  immediately  in 
principal  entertaining 
a  bird  bath.  These 
being  representative  of 
fountain  shaft,  and  the 
shows  a  piece  of  sculp- 
&  Co.,  which  could  be 
further  enrichment  of 
The  very  mention  of 
for  most  clients,  bringing 
a  vision  of  endless  ex- 
inefficiency,  yet,  if  the 
done  in  the  first  case, 
this  account  nor  need  it 
a  heavy  and  ponderous 
of  the  one  just  referred 
tion  No.  243,  it  may 
like  feature,  which  may 
a  sundial  to  centralize 
or  to  give  point  and 
a  grass  walk.  The 
end  of  a  long  terrace 
central  feature  in  a 
when  backed  up  by  yews 


FIG.    243. — SMALL    FOUNTAIN    OR    BIRD    BATH. 


unique  craftsmanship, 
stand  on  an  upper 
front  of  one  of  the 
room  windows  to  form 
three  may  be  taken  as 
three  different  forms  of 
tailpiece  to  this  chapter 
ture  by  Messrs.  Cashmore 
used  with  effect  for  the 
any  of  them, 
a  fountain  is  sufficient 
to  their  minds  at  once 
pense  and  worry  and 
work  is  thoroughly  well 
there  need  be  no  fear  on 
always  by  any  means  be 
erection.  As  in  the  case 
to,  and  shown  in  illustra- 
even  be  a  simple  font- 
be  employed  instead  of 
a  group  of  flower  beds 
interest  to  a  vista  down 
smallest  fountain  at  the 
walk  or  forming  the 
formal  garden,  especially 
or  other  dark  foliaged 


evergreens,  may  be  invaluable  in    giving    an    interesting    high    light    whereon    to   focus  the 
eye,    and    has    the    additional    merit    of    only    requiring    a    small    supply    of    water. 


Whatever  the 
for  the  fountain, 
but  the  best  of  its 
be  permanently 
therefore  it  is  far 
simple  erection 
and  strongly  con- 
spend  the  same 
on  a  more  am- 
which  cannot 
with  the  same 

The  pond  or 
may  be  treated  in 
ways,  a  number 
indicated  on  the 
gardens  given  in 
rule,  a  plain  circle 
or  an  octagon 


FIG.    244. — SIMPLE    FOUNTAIN    BASIN'. 


design  adopted 
however,  nothing 
kind  can  possibly 
satisfactory,  and 
better  to  have  a 
well  proportioned 
structed  than  to 
amount  of  money 
bitious  effort 
be  completed 
thoroughness, 
basin  of  a  fountain 
a  great  variety  of 
of  which  are 
various  plans  of 
this  work.  As  a 
( 111.  No.  238 ) 
(111.  No.  244) 


is  best,  while  in  other  positions,  especially  where  jets  on  the  four  sides  throw  inwards 
towards  the  central  shaft,  some  such  combination  of  square  and  semicircle  as  that  shown 
in  illustration  No.  245  would  be  more  effective,  allowing  one  semicircular  bay  opposite 


182 


FIG.  245. 


THE  DECORATIVE  TREATMENT  OF  WATER. 

each  of  the  four  jets.  A  basin  oval  on  plan  is  very  rarely  called  for,  and  where  used 
should  be  treated  as  simply  as  possible.  Such  a  shape  in  conjunction  with  an  elaborately 
moulded  kerb  is  unthinkable. 

The    design    of    the    kerb    surrounding    the  I       B  Kerbs. 

basin  also  allows  of  much  variety.  In  simple 
fountains  a  plain  flag  level  with  the  path  or 
grass  surrounding  it  is  most  suitable,  or  where 
a  greater  sense  of  protection  is  required  than 
this  arrangement  will  give,  the  flag  may  be 
raised  on  a  dwarf  wall,  so  as  to  bring  its  top 
surface  about  eighteen  inches  above  the  sur- 
rounding ground,  and  where  a  roughly  built 
wall  and  coping  are  suitable,  it  may  be  adorned 
with  little  water-loving  ferns  and  plants  inserted 
into  the  joints  between  the  stones,  or,  again, 
oak  posts  may  rise  out  of  the  coping  at  regular 
intervals  to  a  height  of  about  six  feet,  and 
chains  be  suspended  between  them  whereon  to 
grow  roses. 

Where  greater  .elaboration  is  needed,  the 
kerb  may  consist  of  blocks  of  stone  suitably  moulded,  or,  to  obtain  the  richest  effect  of 
all,  a  balustrade  "  leaning  height  "  or  three  feet  three  inches  high  may  be  used  and,  if 
necessary,  further  enriched  by  piers  at  intervals  surmounted  by  finials,  though  the  latter 
must  be  very  appropriately  chosen  and  carefully  proportioned  if  they  are  to  look  neither 
obtrusive  on  the  one  hand  nor  insignificant  on  the  other. 

The  pond  itself,  which  should  be  two  feet  three  inches  deep  below  the  water  line, 
if  water  lilies  are  to  be  grown,  is  sometimes  formed  for  the  sake  of  cheapness  with  a 
bottom  of  puddled  clay  and  walls  of  brick  set  in  hydraulic  mortar  with  a  backing  of 
the  same  material,  but  in  all  cases  where  the  basin  is  not  of  extraordinary  size,  it  is 
far  better  to  build  the  whole  in  cement  concrete  carefully  finished  to  a  smooth  surface 
and  with  all  internal  angles  rounded  off  so  as  to  facilitate  cleaning  out.  Whichever 
method  is  used,  the  inside  of  the  pond  should  always  be  constructed  so  that  ice  may 
rise  as  it  expands  in  freezing,  otherwise  it  will  burst  the  rim  or  carry  away  the  coping. 
All  that  is  necessary  is  to  finish  the  sides  with  a  slope  or  batter,  instead  of  making  them 
vertical  and  to  give  them  a  smooth  surface. 

The  plumbing,  consisting  of  the  water  supply  with  its  stop  cocks,  the  overflow  Plumber's 
and  the  means  of  emptying  the  basin,  should  receive  special  care,  as  there  is  nothing  work  for 
so  annoying  and  so  absurd  as  a  fountain  which  will  not  play  and  one  which  needs  fountains. 
continual  tinkering,  with  the  consequent  damage  to  paths  and  lawns  in  digging  up 
pipes.  It  is  impossible  to  lay  down  any  rules  for  the  size  of  the  supply  pipe  as  it 
depends  on  so  many  factors  which  will  vary  in  each  case,  but  where  there  is  any  doubt 
of  the  pressure  or  "  head  "  on  the  water  being  adequate,  much  may  be  done  by  making 
it  extra  large,  avoiding  unnecessary  bends,  and  making  those  which  cannot  be  avoided 
as  easy  as  possible.  Whatever  taps  are  necessary  to  individual  jets,  there  should  be  one 
main  cock  under  a  small  hinged  cast  iron  cover  quite  clear  of  the  fountain  itself.  This 
is  far  better  than  a  sunk  tap  which  must  be  reached  with  a  long  key  which  is  apt  to  be 
either  left  about  in  an  untidy  manner  or  mislaid  altogether.  Where  there  is  only  one 
tap,  the  cover  need  not  be  more  than  four  inches  square,  but  where  the  supply  divides 
and  each  branch  has  separate  taps  for  controlling  different  portions  of  the  display,  the 
main  cocks  and  all  branch  taps  can  be  collected  in  one  trap.  There  should  also  be 
another  tap  as  near  the  source  of  supply  as  possible,  to  allow  of  the  pipe  being  kept 


183 


THE  DECORATIVE  TREATMENT  OF  WATER. 

empty  during  the  worst  months  of  the  year  when  the  fountain  will  not  be  required, 
thus  avoiding  the  possibility  of  damage  by  frost,  and  where  the  water  is  obtained  from  a 
stream  or  pond,  the  intake  should  be  from  a  small  settling  tank  with  a  copper-wire  grid 
between  the  inlet  and  the  mouth  of  the  supply  pipe.  This  may  be  made  quite  cheaply 
by  the  local  carpenter  in  the  form  of  a  strong  pitchpine  box  tarred  inside  and  out,  and 
buried  in  the  ground  level  with  the  lid,  which  should  be  hung  on  strong  brass  hinges  to 
withstand  rust.  For  the  same  reason,  all  the  taps  should  be  of  gun-metal,  and  if  the 
pressure  is  at  all  great,  of  the  screw-down  type. 

The  overflow  should  of  course  be  of  a  larger  diameter  than  the  supply  pipe  and 
should  be  provided  with  a  strainer  to  prevent  leaves  and  other  debris,  which  blow  into 
the  basin,  from  choking  it.  It  should  be  so  placed  as  to  keep  the  water  level  as  high 
as  possible  so  that  a  long  stretch  of  bare  wall  or  concrete  does  not  show,  as  in  such 
case  the  basin  will  look  too  much  like  a  tank  or  well.  Means  of  emptying  the  pond 
for  cleaning  out  should  be  provided  by  a  pipe  communicating  with  the  overflow.  In  the 
case  of  small  fountains  it  may  be  plugged  by  an  ordinary  plumber's  bath  waste  with 
its  brass  plug,  but  in  the  larger  basins,  Pulham's  patent  plug,  which  consists  of  a  stone- 
ware ball  dropped  into  the  open  end  of  the  pipe,  may  be  used.  Needless  to  say,  all 
connections  should  be  accessibly  arranged  in  case  repair  becomes  necessary. 

Wall  Wall  fountains  form   a  distinct  class  in  themselves,  and  it  is   fortunate  that,  in  their 

fountains.        case,  we  have  not  to  deplore  the  dearth  of  beautiful  designs  referred  to  above  in  speaking 

of   sculptured    fountains    surrounded    by    a    pond.       Hardly    a    single    year    passes    without 

one   or   more   exquisitely   proportioned   models    for    this   class   of   fountain   being   exhibited 

at    Burlington    House,    and    indeed    it    would    seem    to    be    an   object    for    the   exercise    of 

artistic  genius  which  particularly  appeals  to 
sculptors  of  note.  The  worst  that  can  be 
said  of  these  designs  is  that  they  seem  a 
little  lacking  in  originality  of  motif,  as  they 
generally  consist  of  a  nude  or  classically 
draped  female  figure  poised  above  a  shell-like 
tazza.  It  is  the  more  surprising,  therefore, 
that  one  so  seldom  comes  across  one  of  these 
beautiful  adjuncts  in  the  average  garden, 
especially  when  one  reflects  that  they  are 
equally  delightful  in  the  largest  schemes  and 
the  smallest  garden  plots  and  cost  so  little 
for  the  tiny  stream  which  is  sufficient  to 
give  them  their  raison  d'etre. 

In  the  large  pleasaunce,  of  course,  they 
would,  unless  on  a  large  scale,  form  only  a 
subsidiary  feature,  giving  point  and  interest 
to  an  otherwise  blank  wall  facing  the  end 
of  an  important  walk,  or  adding  the  cool 
influence  of  falling  water  to  a  shady  retreat. 
In  small  gardens,  however,  they  may  form  the 
central  ornament  up  to  which  everything 
else  leads  more  or  less,  which  does  not 
mean  that  the  little  domain  should  have  only 
one  interest  or  be  devoid  of  that  charm  which 
only  contrast  and  a  certain  complexity  can  give. 

For  large  wall  fountains,  such  as  are  only  occasionally  required,  there  is  abundant 
precedent  in  the  ancient  "  lavatories  "  attached  to  monastic  institutions  in  Italy,  while, 


FIG.    246. — WALL   FOUNTAIN    AT    FLORENCE,    BY 
DONATELI.O    OR    VERROCCHIO. 


184 


THE  DECORATIVE  TREATMENT  OF  WATER. 


for  smaller  ones,  most  of  the  larger  Continental  towns  can  provide  material  for  adaptation, 
such  as  that  shown  in  illustration  No.  246.  Illustration  No.  247  shows  one  essentially 
English  in  its  treatment. 

Before  leaving  the  subject  of  fountains,  a  practical  point  of  prime  importance  applying     Water 
equally  to  every  kind  must  be  touched  upon.      This  is  the  paramount  necessity  of  a  con-     supply  for 


stant  and  ample  supply 
of  water  at  a  cheap 
enough  rate  to  allow 
of  its  regular  use.  To 
insist  urgently  on  such 
an  obvious  point  would 
seem  somewhat  un- 
necessary, if  practical 
observation  did  not 
show  that  fountains 
as  garden  ornaments 
have  become  complete- 
ly discredited  in  the 
minds  of  many  people, 
from  the  numbers  of 
failures  from  this  cause 
which  disfigure  the 
pleasaunces  of  this 
country.  The  fountain 
should  play  joyously, 
not  weep  sadly,  and 
nothing  can  be  more 
distressing  to  the  true 
lover  of  gardens  than 
a  dusty  fountain  de- 
void of  water  or  one 
which  feebly  trickles, 
the  very  picture  of 
ineptitude  and  incapa- 
city. No  amount  of 
fine  sculpture  or  effec- 
tive setting  can  justify 
a  fountain  which  can 
only  be  used  on  very 
special  occasions  and 
then  suggests  nothing 
so  vividly  to  the  mind 
of  the  owner  as  a  vision  of  water  bills  to  come. 

In  this  connection  Evelyn's  description  of  the  fountain  at  Hampton  Court  comes  to 
mind.  "  In  ye  garden  is  a  real  noble  fountain  with  syrens,  statues,  etc.,  cast  in  copper 
by  Farnelli,  but  no  plenty  of  water."  Constancy  of  supply  is  of  far  more  importance 
than  a  large  amount  or  a  heavy  pressure,  though  all  these  factors  will  have  their  influence 
on  the  form  the  fountain  will  take.  If  it  is  known  beforehand  that,  at  certain  seasons, 
the  supply  will  be  very  slight,  while  at  others  there  will  be  more  water  than  can  be  con- 
veniently used,  the  fountain  may  be  so  designed  that  it  will  appear  complete  with  one 
small  jet,  while  other  displays  may  be  available  for  use  when  possible.  There  may  even 


fountains. 


FIG.     247. — WALL     FOUNTAIN     IN     GRANITE. 


185 


THE  DECORATIVE  TREATMENT  OF  WATER. 


Dipping 
wells . 


Cascades 


be  two  separate  sources  of  supply.  Thus  in  the  case  of  the  fountain  shown  in  illustra- 
tion No.  242  and  already  referred  to,  the  central  jet  might  be  fed  by  the  smaller  and 
reliable  supply,  while  a  bubble  fountain,  to  be  used  only  when  the  larger  and  more  fickle 
stream  is  available,  might  be  arranged  under  the  arched  cavity  at  the  base  of  the  central 
shaft.  It  is  possible  to  imagine  a  case  in  which  a  third  and  possibly  expensive  supply 
were  added  for  occasional  use,  when  the  same  fountain  might  be  fitted  with  jets  rising 
on  all  sides  from  near  the  rim  of  the  lower  basin  and  sprouting  inwards  into  the  higher 
basin  after  the  manner  of  Carpeaux's  fountain  of  the  Zodiac.  Thus,  whether  one,  two 
or  three  sources  of  supply  were  in  use,  the  fountain  would  have  the  appearance  of  being 
fully  furnished  and  complete. 

If  aquatic  plants  are  to  be  grown  in  a  fountain  basin,  it  should  be  made  large  enough 
to  allow  of  their  being  placed  away  from  the  main  streams  of  falling  water,  or  they 
will  be  in  danger  of  being  beaten  down  by  it,  and  if  gold  or  silver  carp  are  to  swim  in 
it,  some  shelter  from  the  light  should  be  provided  either  in  the  form  of  plants  or  loose 
stones.  It  is  not  generally  known  that  they  cannot  close  their  eyes. 

The  dipping  well  for  use  in  the  kitchen  garden  has  the  special  advantage  of  ful- 
filling a  utilitarian  purpose  as  well  as  allowing  of  artistic  treatment.  As  every  gardener 
knows,  icy-cold  water  drawn  direct  from  the  supply  pipe,  should  not  be  used  for  watering 

purposes,  but  it  should  be  exposed  to  the  air 
for  a  time  in  order  that  it  may  take  the 
temperature  of  the  surrounding  atmosphere 
before  being  poured  or  syringed  over  the 
plants,  and  this  can  best  be  accomplished  by 
the  provision  of  a  dipping  well  in  a  central 
position  in  the  kitchen  garden.  How  the  well 
and  its  surroundings  may  be  composed  into  one 
of  the  most  attractive  features  in  the  domain 
is  described  in  Chapter  XV.,  and  it  is  sufficient 
here  to  describe  its  construction. 

The  most  effective  dipping  wells  are,  as 
a  rule,  those  which  are  formed  from  old 
well-heads  imported  from  Italy  and  which  were 
originally  constructed  by  hollowing  out  the 

capital  of  a  pillar  from  a  ruined  temple  dedicated  to  one  of  the  deities  of  the  Roman 
pantheon.  Sometimes  they  have  been  provided  with  a  wrought-iron  over-head  arrange- 
ment from  which  to  suspend  the  rope  and  bucket,  and  this  may  with  advantage  be  retained 
as  an  ornamental  feature.  Another  very  useful  form  consists  of  a  hexagonal  or  octagonal 
brick  structure  with  a  plain  coping  made  from  stone  flags.  From  the  nature  of  its 
position  in  the  more  utilitarian  portion  of  the  grounds,  great  elaboration  in  its  design 
would  be  entirely  out  of  place. 

Dipping  wells  should,  of  course,  be  fitted  with  a  water  supply,  and  where  it  can  be 
contrived  so  as  to  be  out  of  sight  and  safe  from  damage  from  cans  or  buckets,  a  ball 
tap  to  keep  the  water-level  constant  should  be  added. 

Architecturally  treated  cascades  can  only  be  successfully  formed  where  the  character 
of  the  accompanying  architecture  demands  magnificence.  As  before  stated,  opportunities 
for  work  of  this  character  on  the  largest  scale  will  only  seldom  occur  in  this  country, 
and  it  is  difficult  to  conceive  any  circumstances  which  would  allow  of  anything  on 
the  scale  of  the  cascades  at  the  Villa  d'Este.  This  is  not  only  the  result  of  a  national 
conservatism  which  makes  any  superlative  effort  after  grandeur  appear  forced  and  un- 
natural, but  also  of  climatic  conditions.  In  hot  and  dry  countries,  such  as  Italy  or 
India,  such  features  appear  indigenous,  but  here,  where  only  one  or  two  months  in  the 


FIG.      248. 


186 


THE  DECORATIVE  TREATMENT  OF  WATER. 

year  are  hot  enough  to  justify  their  creation,  they  appear  to  be  the  result  of  an  exaggerated 
effort.  There  is,  however,  no  reason  for  the  very  marked  dearth  of  architectural  cascades 
on  a  simple  scale,  unless  it  be  the  difficulty  which  would  often  be  experienced  in  obtaining 
a  sufficiently  large  supply  of  water  at  a  great  enough  elevation  above  the  residence, 
which  is  usually  built  on  a  hillside  with  the  stream  in  the  hollow  below.  While  this 
may  prevent  the  formation  of  a  large  stepped  cascade,  however,  some  such  arrangement  as 
that  shown  in  illustration  No.  249,  should  be  possible  in  many  situations.  This  gives 
the  lowest  of  a  series  of  tazzae  which  it  is  proposed  to  construct  on  the  hillside,  each 
with  its  outlet  spouting  into  the  one  below,  an  arrangement  which  would  not  demand  a 
large  volume  of  water.  The  one  shown  is  designed  for  and  executed  in  granite  for 
erection  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Dartmoor,  thus  emphasizing  a  local  characteristic,  but  in 
other  districts,  where  the  native  material  would  allow  of  a  lighter  treatment,  a  more 
elaborate  and  lighter  "  motif "  might  be  adopted. 


FIG.      249. — WALL     FOUNTAIN      (FIRST     OF      A     SERIES)     AT     HANNAFORD,     DEVONSHIRE. 

The  formal  water  lily  pond  is  a  delightful  feature  which  is  growing  in  popularity  in  this     Water  lily 
country.       In    illustrations    Nos.    240,    248,    251    and   256,    are   shown   examples    erected    in     ponds. 
recent  years  from  designs  by  the  author,  and  it  will  be  seen  that,  in  almost  every  case,  they 
fulfil  the  functions  of  a  fountain  as  well  as  providing  a  large  mirror  for  surrounding  foliage 
or   architecture.       In   fact   the  water   lily  pond   may  be  considered   as   occupying   a  middle 
place  between  the  fountain  basin  with  its  very  restricted  area  of  water  surface  on  the  one 
hand,    and   the   large  formal   canal  on   the  other,    and  to   partake    to   some  extent  of    the 
nature  of    both. 

It  thus  follows  that  they  form  most  delightful  features  which  are  adapted  to 
gardens  of  very  varying  size  and  kind,  and  they  have  in  addition  the  pre-eminent 
advantage  of  introducing  to  the  garden  whole  families  of  plants  which  would  otherwise 
be  absent. 


187 


THE  DECORATIVE  TREATMENT  OF  WATER. 


Moats. 


Bathing 
ponds. 


Their  construction  is  very  much  the  same  as  that  for  a  large  fountain  basin,  and 
whether  they  have  a  bottom  of  puddled  clay  or  concrete  will  depend  very  much  on 
local  circumstances  or  their  size  and  whether  the  aquatic  plants  are  to  be  grown  in  pots 
or  not.  Illustration  No.  248  shows  a  very  useful  shape  and  its  main  proportions. 

For  water  lilies,  a  depth  varying 
from  twenty  to  thirty-three  inches 
is  most  suitable,  but  calla,  sedges 
and  iris  must  be  arranged  with  their 
crowns  only  two  or  three  inches  under 
water.  Illustration  No.  252  shows 
how  both  classes  of  plants  may  be 
accommodated  in  a  long  and  narrow 
pond  by  recessing  the  sides  and 
keeping  the  recesses  shallow,  while 
in  illustration  No.  251  will  be  seen  a 
pond,  the  corners  of  which  have 
been  roughly  walled  round  with 
stones  to  form  a  shallow  portion 
filled  up  with  good  stiff  soil. 

While  all  lily  ponds  must  be 
beautiful  during  the  Summer  months 
when  they  are  adorned  by  flowering 
aquatic  plants,  there  is  danger  of 
their  becoming  uninteresting  in  the 
Winter  when  the  plants  are  dormant, 
unless  this  drawback  is  guarded 
against  by  designing  them  so  as  to 
be  interesting  in  themselves.  It  is 
for  this  reason  that  a  piece  of  choice 
bronze  or  lead  statuary  should  al- 
ways be  introduced  somewhat  in  the 
manner  of  the  boy  and  dolphin 
shown  in  the  photograph  of  the  lily- 
pond  designed  by  the  Author  for 
Sir  William  Lever,  with  or  without 
the  stepping  stones  for  reaching  the 
plants  shown  in  the  same  illustration 
(111.  No.  275).  Another  suitable  sub- 
ject is  given  in  illustration  No.  250). 
The  moats  still  to  be  found  sur- 
rounding some  ancient  manor  houses 
and  the  larger  historic  country  seats, 
offer  splendid  opportunities  for  the 
cultivation  of  aquatic  plants  along 
their  margins.  That  shown  in  the 
plan  of  the  gardens  at  Little  Onn 

Hall,  Staffordshire  (111.  No.  405),  does  not  surround  the  house,  but  some  old  monastic 
ruins  in  the  grounds,  and  the  accompanying  foliage,  water,  ruins,  and  ancient  fish-stews 
together  make  a  most  delightful  composition. 

Wherever  a  stream  of  clear  cool  water  flows  through  a  garden,  it  may  with  com- 
paratively little  expense  be  dammed  up  or  diverted,  as  shown  in  illustration  No.  253,  to 


FIG.     250. — STATUE     FOR     A     LILY     POND. 


188 


THE    DECORATIVE    TREATMENT    OF    WATER. 


FIG.     251.— WATER    LILY    POND    AT    ASHTON-ON-TRENT. 


FIG.     252. — TINY    CANAL    AT   ASHTON-ON-TRENT. 

189 


Formal 
Canals. 


THE  DECORATIVE  TREATMENT  OF  WATER. 

form  a  bathing  pond,  and  even  though  the  pond  must  be  fed  with  collected  surface 
water  supplemented  by  the  domestic  supply,  facilities  may  be  provided  for  those  residents 
or  guests  who  belong  to  the  increasing  number  of  persons  who  delight  to  begin  the  day 
with  a  vigorous  cold  plunge  taken  in  the  open  air.  A  more  elaborate  arrangement  which 
would  in  itself  form  a  decorative  adjunct  to  the  general  garden  scheme,  is  shown  in 
illustration  No.  254,  and  is  designed  to  accompany  an  Elizabethan  mansion,  while  the 
simple  hut  for  disrobing  shown  in  the  first  example  is  replaced  with  a  comfortable  and 

convenient  dressing 
room.  A  bathing  pond 
may  often  be  contrived 
very  cheaply  on  those 
rugged  portions  of  the 
coast  which  are  not 
suited  to  shore  bathing 
by  enclosing  a  small 
creek  with  a  simple 
sluice  to  retain  the  tide 
water. 

Every  bathing  pond 
should,  of  course,  have 
a  means  of  emptying, 
as  this  will  be  frequently 
necessary,  or  decaying 
vegetable  matter,  which 
inevitably  collects  there, 
will  become  offensive 
when  the  water  is  stirred 
up  by  a  bather. 

The  large  architec- 
tural ponds  or  canals 
which  figured  so  prom- 
inently in  the  designs  of 
Le  Notre  were  never 
fully  appreciated  in  this 
country,  though  there 
are  a  few  examples  re- 
maining to  attest  their 
beauty  and  propriety, 
such  as  the  well-known 
one  at  Wrest,  Bedford- 
shire. That  we  have 
not  a  greater  number  of 
such  beautiful  sheets  of 

water  is  surprising  and  partly  arises  no  doubt  from  the  teachings  of  the  early-Victorian 
school  of  Landscape  Gardeners  who  maintained  that,  in  no  case,  could  a  formal  arrange- 
ment be  beautiful.  The  objections  urged  against  architectural  ponds  by  those  who 
affect  to  admire  the  miniature  quasi-natural  lakes  or  pools  so  often  attempted  in  small 
gardens  with  such  purile  results,  are  more  imaginary  than  real.  The  water  in  the 
former  is  as  much  a  mirror  as  in  the  latter,  while  the  architectural  pond  has  the  further 
advantage  of  suitability  to  its  environment  and  particularly  to  the  architecture  of  the 
house.  The  same  art  which  regulates  the  outline  of  the  basin  or  pond  takes  into 


FIG.     253. — A     RUSTIC     BATHING     POND. 


190 


THE  DECORATIVE  TREATMENT  OF  WATER. 


account  also  the  surroundings  and  character  of  the  margins  to  be  reflected  in  the  water, 
while  the  reflections  cast  by  floating  clouds  and  the  animation  produced  by  water-fowl 
are  shared  by  both  alike.  In  cases  where  there  is  any  fear  of  a  shortage  of  water, 
practical  considerations  favour  the  formal  pond,  as  its  construction  not  only  allows  of 
its  being  made  more  watertight  and  thus  economising  the  supply,  but  also  makes 
cleaning  out  an  easy  process,  a  most  necessary  undertaking  if  there  is  the  slightest  doubt 
of  the  supply  being  strong  enough  to  keep  it  clean. 

The  long  water  lagoon  at  Kearsney  Court  near  Dover,  of  which  photographs  are 
given  in  illustrations  Nos.  235  and  236,  is  a  notable  instance  of  the  formation  of  a  large 
sheet  of  ornamental  water  which  seemed  immediately  to  fall  in  with  its  surroundings. 
The  large  elms  and  other  full-grown  timber  trees  which  bordered  the  boggy  depression 
in  which  it  was  constructed,  though  not  evenly  spaced,  or  even  of  one  kind,  nevertheless 
give  an 
avenue-like 
effect  and 
fall  natur- 
ally into 
their  place 
as  part  of 
a  formal 
composi- 
tion on  a 
somewhat 
large  scale. 
Before  the 
work  was 
undertaken, 
the  stream 
which  now 
feeds  the 
canal  pass- 
ed under- 
ground and 
out  of  sight 
owing  to 
the  porous 
nature  of 
the  subsoil. 


OPEN  -  AJU 
3W1MMINO 
BATH 
FED  BY 
3TUCAM 


FIG.     254. — AN     OPEN-AIR     SWIMMING     BATH. 


This  made  it  necessary  that  the  whole  of  the  bed  of  the  canal  should 
be  covered  with  a  layer  of  concrete.  It  is  rectangular  in  shape  with  a  widened  centre  por- 
tion. At  each  end  is  a  bridge  which  spans  the  inlet  or  outlet  and  is  to  be  extended  by 
means  of  a  pergola  on  either  side  to  the  full  width  of  the  formal  water,  thus  screening 
the  narrow  stream  above  and  below  the  canal. 

Another  ornamental  canal  is  shown  in  illustration  No.  256  and  is  now  in  course  of 
construction  on  the  West  side  of  the  Palace  of  Peace  at  the  Hague.  Here  a  sluggish 
but  fairly  strong  stream  of  water  passes  through  the  grounds  at  a  level  which  allows  of 
any  shape  and  size  of  formal  pond  most  consistent  with  the  plan  of  the  gardens  as  a 
whole.  This  pond  has  a  length  of  four  hundred  and  ninety  feet,  with  a  _  width  in  the 
central  part  of  eighty  feet,  and  in  the  narrower  canal  part,  of  forty  feet. 

While  most  formal  canals  are  of  considerable  extent,  sufficiently  so  in  many  cases  to 
allow  of  the  effective  use  of  Thames  punts  or  Canadian  canoes,  they  may  be  adapted 
to  almost  any  size  of  garden  and  almost  any  position.  Thus,  in  illustrations  Nos. 


IQT 


THE  DECORATIVE  TREATMENT  OF  WATER. 

251  and  252  is  shown  a  tiny  canal  which  forms  part  of  a  terrace  garden  at  Ashton- 
on-Trent  in  Derbyshire.  This  canal,  although  so  small,  is  not  without  a  distinctive 
charm  of  its  own  which  this  very  fact  gives  it,  and  is  sufficient  to  provide  interest  to 
this  part  of  the  garden  scheme. 

Where  the  source  of  supply  for  a  formal  canal  is  small,  the  most  should  be  made  of 
it  in  order  to  avoid  any  possible  appearance  of  stagnation.  In  the  example  at  Kearsney 
Court  already  referred  to  (111.  No.  236),  this  is  accomplished  by  arranging  a  small 
stepped  cascade  in  connection  with  the  bridge  over  the  inlet,  while  illustration  No.  249 
contains  suggestions  for  the  disposal  of  a 
still  smaller  supply.  In  any  case,  the  exist- 
ence of  the  inlet  and  outlet  and  their 
positions  should  be  marked  by  architectural 
treatment,  even  if  it  is  only  an  effectively 
arranged  balustrade  or  suitably  placed  vases 
on  pedestals  to  act  as  pylons. 

The  construction  of  the  formal  canal  may  be  either  similar  to  that  of  the  water-lily 
pond  or  it  may  have  grass  banks  sloping  down  to  the  water.  In  the  latter  case,  the 
margin  should  be  treated  as  shown  in  the  accompanying  sketch  (111.  No.  255),  with 
rough  pitching  at  the  water  line  to  withstand  the  strongly-marked  erosive  action  of  ripples 
and  wavelets  and  the  wash  from  canoes  and  boats.  The  sod  may  be  carried  over  the 
pitching  down  to  the  water.  The  breadth  of  the  band  of  pitching  will  depend  on  whether 
any  variation  in  the  water  level  can  be  efficiently  prevented  and  also  on  the  width  of  the 
canal  and  amount  of  shelter  from  winds,  which  are  both  factors  determining  the  size  the 


FIG.  255. 


FIG.  256. PLAN  OF  THE  CANAL  AT  THE  PALACE  OF  PEACE. 

(THE  COURT  OF  THE  HAGUE  TRIBUNAL.) 

wavelets  will  attain.  -It  will  thus  be  seen  that  the  breadth  of  the  pitching  will  need  to 
be  much  greater  at  the  ends  than  at  the  sides,  as  ripples  crossing  the  canal  will  not 
reach  so  great  a  strength  as  those  which  travel  the  whole  length  or  nearly  so.  If  the 
bottom  is  of  puddled  clay,  it  will  be  necessary  to  do  the  work  in  sections  in  order  to 
prevent  the.  clay  from  drying  and  cracking,  as  shown  in  illustration  No.  257. 

Whatever  system  of  construction  is  adopted,   the  water  level   should  be  kept  as  high 
as   possible,   say   between   eighteen   inches   and   two   feet   six   inches   below    the  surrounding 


192 


THE  DECORATIVE  TREATMENT  OF  WATER. 


ground.      Where  the  level  of  the  supply  at  the  inlet  makes  it  necessary  greatly  to  exceed 

the    latter   depth,    the    depressing    effect    which    would    otherwise    result    may    be    removed 

by  making   two  small 

banks   instead   of   one 

large  one,  and  forming 

a     path    between    the 

two,  as  shown  in  the 

accompanying     sketch 

(111.    No.    255). 

So  far,  we  have 
dealt  with  formal 
arrangements  of  water 
for  use  in  the  more 
ornamental  portions 
of  the  grounds,  but 
naturally  treated 
streams  and  lakes  have 
also  their  use  and 
special  charm  in  the 
more  outlying  por- 
tions of  the  domain 
and  in  the  wild  gar-  FIG.  257. — FORMAL  CANAL  UNDER  CONSTRUCTION. 

den. 

The    landscape    architect    is    often    unjustly    condemned    for    his    natural    treatment    of     The 
water,  his  work   being  mistakenly  associated  with  some  of  the  absurd  engineering  feats  of     informal 
Capability  Brown  or  the  ridiculous  miniature  lakes  so  often  squeezed  into  suburban  gardens,     treatment  of 
Where,  however,  the  design  and  construction  of  such  sheets  of  water  are  approached  in  a     wa*er- 
right  spirit,  and  the  mind  of  the  designer  is  imbued  with  a  great  love  of  •  Nature,  and  he 
is   content   not  only  to  be  led   by  her  in   designing  his   work,  but   to  follow  her  methods 
as    far    as    may    be    in    their    construction,    the    finest    possible    results    may    be    obtained. 
When,  as  frequently  happens,  a  pond  or  lake  already  exists,  and  the  task  is  one  of  help- 
ing Nature  to  reassert  herself  and   to  attain  her  highest  achievement,   the  result  may  be, 
and  often  is,  one   of  the  most   delightful  parts   of   the  domain.      Here   grow   to   perfection 
plants   which  succeed  nowhere  else,  ferns   and  lichen  cover 'the  rocks,  and  the  sporting  of 
fish  in  the  pools,  the  diversions  of  the  waterfowl,  the  ripple  and  sparkle  of  water  and  the 
waving   of   flags    and   reeds,    all   combine    harmoniously    to    charm    both   eye    and   ear.      A 
spacious   sheet   of  water  is   not   only   invariably   a   welcome   feature   in-  the   landscape,   but 
under   ordinary    conditions    furnishes    boating    in    Summer    and    skating   in   Winter,    and   in 
these  days  of  artificially-raised  rainbow  and  Loch  Leven  trout,  fishing  in  almost  all  seasons. 

Lakes  which  entail  a  great  expense  in  construction  are  seldom  satisfactory,  the  best  Lakes. 
effects  being  almost  invariably  obtained  where  little  more  is  required  than  a  short  dam 
across  a  valley  or  dell.  In  such  a  case  the  lake  must  inevitably  take  an  outline  which 
will  exactly  harmonize  with  its  surroundings,  for  if  the  ground  is  gently  undulating  in 
character,  the  margin  will  take  easy,  flowing  lines,  as  in  illustration  No.  258,  whereas 
if  the  contours  are  bold  and  rugged,  it  will  be  much  serrated  and  more  in  keeping  with 
the  surrounding  wildness.  The  only  adaptation  essential  in  such  cases  would  be  that 
necessary  to  prevent  the  whole  area  of  water  from  being  seen  at  once^  a  result  which  is 
generally  best  attained  by  the  formation  of  carefully  placed  and  planted  islands,  thus 
giving  that  indefiniteness  of  extent  and  variety  of  prospect  from  different  positions,  which 
makes  the  Lake  in  Kew  Gardens  so  charming,  a  result  which,  in  this  instance,  is  enhanced 
by  half  a  century  of  planting,  thinning,  and  judicious  selection  in  the  plantations  and 


193 


THE  DECORATIVE  TREATMENT  OF  WATER. 


FIG.    258. — THE    CANAL,    FOOTS    CRAY   PLACE. 


FIG.     259.— THE     LAKE,     KEW     GARDENS. 


THE  DECORATIVE  TREATMENT  OF  WATER. 

pond  vegetation  (111.  No.  259) .  Here  the  effect  is  obtained  in  the  first  instance  by 
the  outline  of  the  lake  itself,  but  the  lake  in  Battersea  Park,  although  by  no  means  ideal 
in  every  way,  shows  very  well  how  the  same  effect  may  be  obtained  by  means  of  an 
island. 

Tarn  Hawes,  near  Coniston,  is  a  good  example  of  the  beautiful  effects  which  may 
result  from  simply  making  a  dam  to  raise  the  water  level  and  leaving  the  rest  to  Nature. 
By  this  means  the  late  proprietor  succeeded  in  making  the  present  sheet  of  water,  so 
well  known  to  all  frequenters  of  the  English  Lake  District,  where  before  were  a  series 
of  smaller  ponds  and  a  tract  of  swampy  ground.  The  effect  is  further  heightened  by 
the  many  fine  plantations  so  effectively  placed  in  the  vicinity  of  the  lake. 

The  lake  in  the  East  Park,  Wolverhampton  (111.  No.  260),  which  is  some  thirteen 
acres  in  extent,  illustrates  the  same  principle,  though  in  this  case  there  was  more  spade 


FIG.   260. 

work,  as  various  small  hollows  were  united  by  cutting  through  intervening  banks.  It 
also  shows  how  a  beautiful  result  may  be  obtained  under  the  most  unpromising  conditions, 
for  it  was  formed  from  a  series  of  spoil  banks  or  pit  mounds.  The  fact  that  there  were 
several  old  pits  shafts  on  the  site,  necessitated  that  the  whole  area  to  be  covered  with 
water  should  be  treated  with  a  layer  of  puddled  clay,  which  in  this  instance  was  dug 
from  the  site  and  put  through  a  brick  makers'  pugging  machine,  and  the  surface 
pitched  with  the  blocks  of  clay  as  delivered  from  it. 

The  result  of  ignoring  the  natural  contours  and  creating  an  artificial  outline  for  the 
lake  was  forcibly  impressed  upon  the  writer  some  time  ago  when  consulted  regarding 
improvements  to  a  lake  upon  which  £3,000  had  been  expended  with  sad  results.  Instead 
of  flooding  the  whole  of  a  valley,  a  long  embankment  was  made  to  enclose  about  half 
of  it,  with  the  result  that  the  remaining  half  was  rendered  useless  for  anything  but  osier 
growing  and  was  rapidly  becoming  offensive,  and  this,  at  least,  at  five  times  the  expense 


195 


THE  DECORATIVE  TREATMENT  OF  WATER. 


which  would  have  made  a  sheet  of  water  of  noble  proportions.  The  hard  undulating 
line  of  the  long  embankment  could  never  be  softened  off  by  suitable  planting  on  account 
of  the  depth  of  the  ground  level  behind  it  as  well  as  its  sodden  state. 

It  will  thus  be  seen  that  a  naturally  treated  lake  formed  on  the  slope  of  a  hill  or 
anywhere  but  in  the  bottom  of  a  hollow,  where  all  natural  lakes  are  found,  can  never 
be  anything  but  a  dismal  failure,  and,  in  such  a  position,  should  never  be  attempted  ;  in 
such  circumstances  a  formal  pond  is  the  only  kind  .which  can  succeed.  Nor  is  it  a  wise 

policy  to  place  an  in- 
formal sheet  of  water 
within  sight  of  a  large 
natural  lake,  a  broad 
river  or  the  open  sea. 
The  inevitable  compari- 
son cannot  fail  to  be 
odious  and  to  the  detri- 
ment of  the  smaller 
artificial  sheet. 

However  carefully 
the  lake  itself  may  be 
formed  and  designed  in 
relation  to  its  surround- 
ings, the  ultimate  effect 
must  depend  very  largely 
on  the  arrangement  of 
the  foliage  which  is  to 
adorn  its  banks.  The 
old  adage,  "  Plant  the 
hills  and  flood  the 
hollows  "  is  always  a  safe 
one  to  follow,  and  if  the 
hollows  are  deepened  to 
form  bays  and  the  ex- 
cavated material  is  used 
to  add  to  the  boldness 
of  the  headlands  and 
so  throw  up  the  native 
foliage  with  which  they 
should  be  crowned,  the 
best  possible  result  will 
usually  be  obtained. 
The  ideal  to  be  aimed 
at  is  clearly  indicated 
in  the  photographs  of 
the  Brathay  Craggs  on  Windermere,  shown  in  illustrations  Nos.  4  and  5,  and  though 
it  may  not  often  be  possible  to  achieve  results  on  this  scale,  still  the  effect  aimed 
at  should  be  the  same.  From  these  considerations  we  may  form  the  general  rule 
that  the  headlands  should  be  planted,  and  that  in  the  bays  the  grass  should  slope 
right  down  to  the  water  in  a  natural  manner,  thus  giving  open  vistas  across  the  lake. 
It  should  always  be  remembered,  however,  that  too  much  foliage,  especially  if  the  supply 
of  fresh  water  to  the  lake  is  small,  tends  to  foul  it. 

For   the   higher   portions   of   the   banks,   masses    of   Scotch    fir  interspersed   with   silver 


FIG.    26l. — ARTIFICIAL    ROCKWORK   AT  BALLIMORE,    ARGYLESHIRE. 


196 


THE  DECORATIVE  TREATMENT  OF  WATER. 

birch  may  be  planted  with  great  effect,  but  for  the  lower  portions,  dogwood,  broom, 
mahonia,  tree  ivies,  laburnum  or  holly,  are  most  suitable,  and  in  any  case  due  regard 
must  be  paid  to  colour  in  mass.  For  islands,  masses  of  scarlet  dogwood,  willows  and 
cut-leaved  alders  are  suggested.  Additional  interest  may  be  given  to  the  margins  by 
the  tasteful  disposition  of  groups  of  iris,  lythrum,  meadow-sweet,  sedges,  bulrushes  or 
other  sub-aquatic  plants,  though  if  the  water  is  shallow  for  any  distance,  the  natural 
tendency  of  such  free-growing  plants  to  cover  the  whole  of  the  shallow  area  will  need 
severely  curbing,  or  much  of  the  water  surface  may  be  lost  under  the  rampant 
vegetation,  especially  in  small  ponds. 

Additional  interest  and  boldness  may  be  given  to  the  headlands  by  the  formation 
of  artificial  rockwork  escarpments  such  as  would  naturally  occur  in  such  places,  but,  of 
course,  nothing  in  the  slightest  artificial  in  appearance  should  be  intruded  on  the  naturally 
treated  area. 

Naturally-treated    streams    also    form    delightful    adjuncts    to    the    wild    garden   or    the     Streams. 
outlying   portions  of   the  domain,   in  fact   the   former   can   hardly  be   said   to   be   complete 
without    at    least    a    tiny    streamlet    half    concealed    and    half    revealed    among    masses    of 
luxuriant   native    ferns. 

How  much  can  be  done  where  a  small  stream  is  available  is  shown  in  the  illustration 
of  that  at  Ballimore,  Argyleshire  (111.  No.  261).  Standing  by  the  water  or  even  looking 
at  the  photograph,  it  is  difficult  to  believe  that,  little  more  than  a  year  before  the 

photograph   was   taken,    it   flowed   through   a  hideous   conduit   between   rough  stone    walls, 

that   the   rockwork  which   looks  so   perfectly   indigenous  has   all  been   placed  there   by  the 

hand  of  man,  and  the  finely-laminated  strata  even  moulded  out  of  strong  cement  coloured 

in    exact    imitation    of    the    stone    which    forms 

the    larger    masses    of    rock,    or   that    the    ferns 

and     other     native     plants     which     cover     and 

adorn   the  whole  have   been   collected   from   the 

surrounding    woods    and   placed   in    position. 

The     other     illustration     of     this    class     of 

work    (111.  No.   262),  showing  the  rocky   stream 

at     Mount     Stuart,    Isle    of     Bute,    which    was 

formed    for    the    late    Marquis    of    Bute    under 

the      Author's      supervision,      originally     flowed 

through    a    hollow,    trodden    into    disagreeable 

mud  by    the    feet   of   cattle,   though   there   were 

some  small  pieces  of  natural  rock  in  places  which 

formed    the    basis    of    the    work    as    illustrated. 

The  volume  of  the  water  had  been  increased  by 

the  more  efficient  drainage  of  the  higher  ground 

further  up  the  stream,  thus  rendering  some  form 

of  protection  for  the  banks  necessary.     In  many 

cases    this     would    have    been    effected    at    the 

expense  of  all  natural   beauty  by  clearing  away 

the    trees     and    stubbing     the    undergrowth    of 

brambles,    honeysuckle,    gorse    and   broom,    and 

destroying    every    natural    charm   left    after   the 

depredations    of    the    cattle. 

Instead  of  this,  the  opportunity  was  seized 

to  bare  the  natural  strata  of   rock,    form   rocky    pools,    and    heighten    the    little    cascades 

carrying   the    new    strata    by    which    this   was   achieved   along   the   sides   of    the   stream   to 

protect    the    banks,   and    planting    the    clayey    bottom    of    the    stiller    pools    with    iris    and 


FIG.  262. 


THE  DECORATIVE  TREATMENT  OF  WATER. 

sedges.  The  banks  on  either  side  were  already  somewhat  sparsely  clothed  with  under- 
growth under  the  beech  trees  shown  in  the  photograph,  and  by  the  addition  of  many 
native  shrubs  and  bushes,  they  were  given  a  covering  of  luxuriant  growth. 

Both  here  and  in  the  stream  at  Ballimore  the  stone  used  was  gathered  from  the 
surrounding  plantations,  and  where  the  surface  was  weathered  or  covered  with  moss, 
this  was  carefully  preserved,  with  the  result  that  the  work  had  not  that  aggressive  new- 
ness which  usually  spoils  artificial  rockwork  until  Nature  has  had  time  to  reassert  herself. 
Fissures  or  "  pockets  "  of  earth  were  also  purposely  formed  in  the  rockwork,  in  which 
might  be  planted  the  ferns  and  wild  perennials  which  abound  on  the  estate. 

It  is  wonderful  what  an  effective  stream  can  be  made  with  only  the  tiniest  flow  of 
water  if  it  be  properly  treated.  There  are  instances  where  quite  a  satisfactory  effect  has 
been  obtained  where  no  stream  at  all  originally  existed,  and  the  whole  supply  has  been 
collected  by  draining  pasture  land  at  a  higher  level  than  the  gardens.  The  secret  of 
success  is  never  to  let  the  water  trickle  anywhere,  but  to  arrange  it  in  a  series  of  large 
pools  with  falls  between.  The  smallest  fall  makes  a  brave  show  compared  with  the 
same  amount  of  water  trickling  or  gliding  over  or  among  stones,  and  the  pools  suggest 
a  larger  supply  than  may  be  actually  present. 

The  practical  detail  of  most  importance  in  the  formation  of  artificial  rockwork,  where 
the  natural  stones  are  cemented  together,  or  the  finer  strata  are  formed  of  artificial  stone, 
and  especially  where  the  pools  are  lined  in  cement  to  economise  a  small  water  supply, 
is  prevention  from  damage  by  frost.  In  such  cases  it  is  far  the  best  method  to  place 
the  work  in  the  hands  of  a  professional  rock  builder  whose  past  work  has  shown  him  to 
possess  the  necessary  artistic  discrimination  for  his  task,  and  who  does  not  fall  into  the 
very  common  error  of  overdoing  the  amount  of  rock. 

The  planting  of  rockwork  is  treated  of  in  the  next  chapter,  which  deals  with  the 
whole  subject  of  rock  gardens. 


198 


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CHAPTER   XIII. 

The  subject   of  this   chapter  is   one   to   which   whole   volumes  might  be   devoted,   and     The  spirit 
which,    in    fact,    has    a    library    of    its    own.      Space,    however,    demands    that    we    should     dominating 
condense  into   it  those   factors   controlling   the   design   and   making   of  what   is   really,  not     informal 
one  kind  of  garden,  but  an  entirely  distinct  series  with  many  subdivisions  and  specialized     gardening. 
developments,  each   of  which   has  its  own  requirements  and  methods  of  construction.      It 
will   therefore   only   be    possible    to    take   up    the   three    main   divisions   mentioned   in   the 
title    to    the    chapter,    but    in    so    doing    we    shall    point    the    way    more    or    less    to    the 
making   of   every   other   form    of   garden    in    which   wild    growth,    rock   and   water   have   a 
place. 

So  far  in  our  survey  of  the  art  of  garden  making,  the  mansion,  as  the  paramount 
architectural  feature  in  the  composition,  has  dominated  everything,  and,  because  the 
garden  is  complementary  to  it,  a  more  or  less  restrained  and  conventionalized  aspect  has 
been  given  to  its  various  parts  that  they  should  form  one  composite  whole,  the  amount 
of  restraint  or  freedom  in  each  parterre  being  nicely  balanced  in  strict  accordance  with 
its  relation  to  the  dominating  feature. 

Now,  however,  everything  is  changed.  Success  depends  entirely  on  all  absence  of 
restraint  or  conventionalization,  and,  instead  of  preserving  an  architectural  continuity, 
we  have  to  subordinate  everything  to  Nature  and  natural  surroundings.  Indeed  our 
garden,  when  finished,  will  only  be  successful  in  so  far  as  we  have  achieved  a  generous 
self-effacement  and  allowed  Nature  to  reign  supreme.  Our  whole  task  will  consist  in 
giving  her  an  opportunity  to  realize  her  highest  and  her  best,  a  stage  whereon  to  display 
her  greatest  powers,  and,  where  her  works  have  been  destroyed,  a  chance  to  reassert 
herself.  Wherever,  in  the  finished  result,  artificiality  is  in  the  slightest  degree  apparent, 
or  features  appropriate  enough  in  themselves  are  arranged  so  as  to  be  incongruous,  or 
so  as  to  suggest  a  made-to-please  effect,  the  whole  will  be  spoiled,  for  Nature  is  never 
obtrusive  in  her  handiwork. 

Nevertheless,  we  must  not  run  to  the  opposite  extreme  and  suppose  that,  in  the 
wild  garden,  we  have  the  negation  of  art  and  only  the  result  of  a  fortuitous  chance,  for, 
as  Pope  so  truly  said  :— 

"  All  Nature  is  but  art  unknown  to  thee, 
All  chance,  direction  which  thou  canst  not  see." 

and  so  we  shall  find  as  we  proceed  with  our  subject  that,  even  where  Nature  already 
holds  sway,  there  are  many  things  which  we  may  do  to  help  her  to  excel  and  enhance 
the  loveliness  of  all  she  touches. 

There    are,    of   course,    scenes    of    such    transcendent    beauty    and    perfection    that    to 


201 


ROCK,    WALL    AND    BOG    GARDENS. 

interfere  would  be  the  greatest  presumption,  as,  for  instance,  in  a  case  in  the  English 
Lake  District  in  which  the  writer  was  consulted,  where  a  mountain  torrent  fell  in  a 
succession  of  cataracts  down  a  deep  and  precipitous  gorge,  the  sides  of  which  consisted 
of  cliffs  of  virgin  rock  clothed  in  a  wild  profusion  of  native  ferns  and  other  shade-loving 
plants.  In  such  cases,  all  that  can  be  done  is  to  conserve  with  jealous  care  that  which 
exists  and  guard  it  from  the  intrusion  of  artificially  incompatible  features  or  the 
encroachment  of  commonplace  utilitaria  ;  but  such  instances  are  rare  indeed  and,  in  the 
vast  majority  of  cases,  Nature  is  not  found  at  her  best  on  the  site  of  a  new  garden, 
which  is  oftener  reclaimed  from  agricultural  uses,  which,  apart  from  the  hedgerows,  have 
little  in  common  with  her. 

Here  much  may  be  done  to  aid  her  work,  and  thus  co-partnership  with  Nature  at 
her  best  must  give  to  this  form  of  garden-making  a  great  and  peculiar  fascination  for 
those  who  love  her  and  are  filled  with  a  sympathetic  understanding  of  her  excellences. 
Prim  parterres,  set  in  smooth  green  lawns,  balustraded  terraces  giving  base  and  con- 
tinuity to  the  architectural  features,  sculptured  fountains  throwing  sparkling  water  from 
basin  to  basin  and  water-lily  tanks  with  unruffled  surface  mirroring  the  light  of  heaven, 
we  must  have  if  our  garden  is  to  be  complete ;  but  these  alone  can  never  satisfy  the 
all-round  garden  lover.  He  longs  also  for  the  free  and  the  wild,  for  a  seclusion  where 
flowers  and  plants  may  grow  in  rank  luxuriance  and  riot,  or  where  the  mossy  boulders 
lie  piled  in  romantic  abandon,  or  combine  to  form  a  cool  grotto  overgrown  with  ferns, 
or  rich  brown  bog  or  bubbling  spring  lies  all  but  concealed  in  the  profuse  growth  it  has 
engendered.  The  spirit  which  filled  John  Gerard  the  Surgeon  in  the  sixteenth  century 
with  a  love  for  the  solace  of  the  quiet  country  ways,  and  caused  Gilbert  White,  a 
hundred  years  ago,  to  write  of  the  two  rocky  hollow  lanes  of  Selborne  which  delight  the 
naturalist  "  with  their  various  botany,"  still  lives  among  us  and  is  ever  growing.  The 
chequered  sunlight,  filtering  down  through  overarching  foliage  and  covering  the  green 
carpet  with  a  scintillating  filigree  pattern  deep  down  along  the  grassy  way  between  tall 
hedges  of  hazel  and  dogwood,  whose  supremacy  is  disputed  by  clambering  tangles  of 
wild  clematis,  dog  rose  and  sweetest-scented  honeysuckle,  of  deep,  dark  mysterious  shade 
under  over-hanging  rocks  or  masses  of  fern  or  brake,  must  always  make  a  strong  appeal 
to  all  who  love  a  garden  and  who  have  learnt  to  understand  something  of  Nature's 
perfection  and  to  love  her  free  profusion. 

Site  of  the  From  the  very  nature  of  the  wild  garden  it  follows  that  it  will  usually  be  placed  either 

m"*  out   of  sight   of  the  house   or   at   some   distance   from   it   in   order   that   there   may   be   no 

gar  en.  clashing  between  the  natural  and  the  artificial.      In  most  instances,  too,  it  will  occupy  a 

secluded  dell,   especially   where   a  bog  garden   or   water  in   some   form   is   a   feature   of  its 

decoration,  or  where  ferns,   mosses  and  lichens  are  to  grow   in  rich  profusion.       In    other 

instances,  it  will  occupy  an  open  hillside,  especially  where  it  takes  the  form  of  an  Alpine 

garden,   or  again   the   necessity   for  protecting  a  steep   bank   by   the   side   of   a   path   may 

suggest  its  treatment  with  rockwork  or  its  conversion  into  a  wall  garden. 

In  several  instances  in  the  Author's  practice,  especially  when  called  in  to  remodel 
old  gardens,  he  has  found  a  natural  stream  flowing  through  the  grounds  which  has  been 
built  in  between  hideous  walls  or  even  enclosed  in  a  culvert.  A  notable  case  of  this 
kind  occurred  in  Pittencrieff  Glen,  at  Dunfermline,  presented  to  the  city  by  Mr.  Andrew 
Carnegie,  which  was  all  the  more  remarkable  as  natural  rock  abounded  in  the  bottom 
and  sides  of  the  stream  and  required  little  more  than  uncovering  and  planting  to  make 
a  most  charming  feature.  Another  instance,  already  referred  to,  occurred  at  Ballimore,  in 
Argyleshire,  and  how  much  can  be  done  in  a  very  short  time  is  shown  in  the  illustration 
(111.  No.  261),  from  which  it  would  be  difficult  to  imagine  that  rather  over  a  year 
before  the  photograph  was  taken  the  stream  ran  between  stone  walls,  and  all  the 
romantically  waterworn  rocks  have  been  planted  so  luxuriantly  in  that  period  of  time. 

202 


ROCK,    WALL    AND    BOG    GARDENS. 

The  artificial  rockwork  seen  in  this  illustration  must  not  be  confounded  with  the  Artificial 
ordinary  rockery  made  by  setting  all  sorts  of  stones  unrestfully  on  end  on  a  mound  of  rockwork. 
earth.  The  latter  is  one  of  the  least  to  be  commended  of  the  mid- Victorian  garden 
adjuncts,  which,  when  made  of  white  spar  or  some  equally  exotic-looking  stone  or  even 
broken  crockery,  cannot  but  have  a  most  unsatisfactory  and  unaesthetic  effect.  The 
only  form  of  artificial  rockwork  which  is  to  be  commended  or  which  can  be  permanently 
satisfactory  is  that  made  by  skilled  workmen  who  have  had  a  special  training  for  the 
work,  and  which  is  an  exact  reproduction  of  the  indigenous  virgin  rock  with  all  its  strata 
and  lamime  faithfully  copied,  and  even  this  should  be  used  with  restraint  and  great 
caution,  for  the  tendency  is  almost  always  to  over-do  it  and  make  it  very  obtrusive.  The 
same  or  an  even  better  effect  can  often  be  obtained  with  one  or  two  strata  jutting 
out  of  the  soil  which  suggest  hidden  masses  below  than  when  great  barriers  of  rock  are 


FIG.      265. — -ALPINE     GARDEN     ON     THE     SLATE     ROCK     OF     THE     LAKE     DISTRICT. 

constructed.  Where  too  much  is  attempted,  too,  with  the  idea  of  getting  the  most  for 
the  money  expended,  mere  size  is  sometimes  obtained  at  the  expense  of  attention  to 
detail  and  balanced  proportion.  In  such  cases,  it  would  have  been  far  better  to  have 
been  content  with  less  than  to  have  built  so  much  in  a  manner  which  cannot  fail  to  look 
artificial.  Care  should  of  course  be  taken  that  the  material  used  does  not  clash  with 
the  local  geological  character.  Thus  freestone  rocks  should  not  be  built  up  in  a  chalk 
district  and  vice-versa.  In  those  few  cases  where  there  is  any  choice,  it  may  be  said 
that  ferns  prefer  limestone,  while  American  woody  shrubs  will  die  on  it,  though  they 
will  flourish  on  sandstone,  which  is  the  rock-builder's  favourite  material. 

It  may  be  objected  that,  after  all,  the  rockwork  is  artificial,  and  therefore  a  sham, 
and  so  cannot  be  pleasing  to  the  truly  artistically  trained  mind  and  eye.  This  is  not 
so,  however,  for,  if  a  thing  may  be  described  as  a  sham,  it  must  be  an  inferior  substitute 


203 


ROCK,    WALL    AND    BOG    GARDENS. 


Objections 
to  artificial 
rockwork 
considered. 


Natural 

rock 

gardens. 


Quarries. 


Moisture- 
retaining 
hollows. 


Bog 
gardens. 


for  that  which  it  copies,  whereas  artificial  rockwork,  if  properly  executed,  is  equal  in 
aesthetic  value  to  native  rock.  Experience  proves  that  this  is  the  case,  for,  when  one 
knows  that  the  bold  masses  of  rock  in  the  little  dell  or  dingle  have  been  placed  there 
by  hand,  its  laminae  produced  by  the  use  of  a  toothed  tool  and  the  gurgling  spring  over 
which  the  ferns  bend  so  lovingly  is  fed  by  hidden  pipes,  one's  admiration  for  the  picture 
of  Nature  at  her  best  which  is  put  before  us  is  not  lessened,  but,  on  the  other  hand, 
one  rather  feels  that  sympathetic  admiration  for  work  which  shows  such  artistic  apprecia- 
tion of  Nature  on  the  part  of  its  creator  which  we  experience  in  examining  any  other 
work  of  art  which  is  good  and  worthy  the  name. 

This  is  the  real  test,  which  may  be  applied  equally  to  any  other  form  of  garden 
decoration.  Does  familiarity  breed  appreciation  or  contempt  ?  Where  there  is  real 
deception,  as  in  the  case  of  the  sham  ruins,  churches,  and  other  stage  scenery  which 
were  so  extensively  used  a  hundred  years  ago,  immediately  the  fraud  is  discovered, 
they  cease  to  please  and  convey  to  the  mind  a  sense  of  the  ludicrous. 

Nevertheless,  however  carefully  it  may  be  done,  artificial  rockwork  can  never  be 
quite  as  satisfactory  as  the  original  virgin  rock.  Where  this  can  be  obtained  by  the 
removal  of  a  few  feet  of  soil,  the  best  of  all  rock  gardens  may  be  produced  at  very 
little  expense,  though  even  here,  in  some  cases,  it  may  need  a  little  aid  from  the  rock 
builder  in  the  way  of  providing  for  rough,  rock-hewn  steps  and  the  provision  of  rocky 
pools  where  the  natural  formation  would  not  allow  of  these.  In  illustration  No.  265  is 
shown  an  Alpine  garden  which  is  most  effective,  and  which  has  been  constructed  merely 
by  baring  the  natural  slate-rock  of  the  English  Lake  District. 

He  who  in  his  domain  possesses  an  old  disused  quarry  is  fortunate  indeed.  Here  he 
has  the  groundwork  for  a  rock  garden  of  most  exceptional  possibilities,  especially  if,  as 
so  often  happens,  there  is  a  pool  of  water  in  the  bottom.  The  aim  would  then  be  to 
have  a  tiny  streamlet  tumbling  over  the  edge  of  the  quarry  into  the  pool  below  and,  if 
possible,  at  a  point  where  there  is  a  recess  in  the  face  of  the  rock,  so  that  the  combina- 
tion of  moisture  and  shade  may  encourage  the  growth  of  ferns  and  mosses.  Rough 
hewed  steps  will  perhaps  be  possible  winding  up  the  face  or  one  flank  of  the  escarpment, 
in  which,  case,  favourable  sites  may  possibly  be  found  for  every  class  of  rock  or  water 
plant,  Alpines  on  the  face  of  the  rock,  other  plants  in  the  fissures  of  the  rough-hewn 
steps,  ferns  in  the  hollows,  flags,  reeds  and  rushes  in  the  shallow  portions  of  the  pool, 
with  water-lilies  and  other  aquatic  plants  in  the  deeper  parts,  while,  in  a  sunny  position 
on  its  margin,  a  small  swamp  garden  may  be  contrived  in  which  marsh  marigolds, 
bachelor's  button,  gunnera,  saxifraga  peltata,  and  the  marsh-loving  ranunculi  may  grow 
to  perfection. 

Where  no  quarry  exists,  a  moisture-retaining  hollow  may  easily  be  contrived  in  a 
suitable  spot  merely  by  lowering  the  level  of  the  ground  by  excavation.  There  will  be 
very  few  gardens  where,  if  this  is  done,  an  ideal  site  for  a  swamp  pool  will  not  be 
obtained.  Then,  by  the  formation  of  rough  steps,  after  the  manner  of  those  shown  in 
illustration  No.  265,  and  the  addition  of  a  little  rockwork,  most  charming  effects  may 
be  produced.  This  having  been  done,  the  rest  is  more  or  less  a  case  of  careful  planting 
and  upkeep,  though  a  good  deal  will  depend  on  the  nature  of  the  material  of  which 
the  garden  is  formed.  The  true  bog  garden  is,  of  course,  composed  of  black  bog  earth 
and  peat,  but  often  one  has  to  be  content  with  clay,  or  some  other  impermeable  subsoil, 
overlaid  with  leaf  mould,  or  such  material  as  may  be  available,  and  this  will  have  a 
direct  influence  in  determining  what  we  shall  plant. 

The  great  charm  of  the  bog  garden  is  its  appearance  of  luxuriant,  rampant,  and 
almost  tropical  growth  and  the  brilliant  greens  of  its  foliage,  ranging  from  long-stemmed 
moss  of  almost  pure  lemon-yellow,  down  to  the  grey-greens  of  the  iris,  against  which 
brown  reeds  stand  up  in  strong  colour  relief.  It  therefore  follows  that  we  must  plant 


204 


ROCK,    WALL    AND    BOG    GARDENS. 

nothing  which  will  not  do  exceedingly  well,  especially  that  anything  which  appears  in  the 
slightest  degree  hyper-cultivated  or  of  the  nature  of  a  garden  specimen  plant  will  clash 
with  the  general  scheme.  There  should  be  a  huge  mass,  the  bigger  the  better,  of  either 
the  common  English  yellow  flag  or  the  German  iris  with  its  purple  flower,  which  has 
been  naturalized  in  this  country,  and  is  now  quite  at  home.  Those  persons  who  have 
only  seen  this  plant  under  the  somewhat  uncongenial  conditions  of  the  ordinary  mixed 
border  can  have  no  idea  of  the  beauty  of  broad  masses  waving  in  the  breeze.  Another 
consideration  which  makes  for  foliage  effects  in  the  bog  garden  is  the  large  scale  of  the 
leaves  and  rampant  growth  of  most  water-loving  or  aquatic  plants.  Gunnera,  iris  and 
nymphese  may  be  quoted  as  typical  examples,  and,  in  Nature,  one  never  sees  them  mixed 
up  indiscriminately,  so  that,  in  the  bog  garden,  each  should  be  given  a  congenial  place 
in  the  scheme,  and  be  kept  well  within  bounds  so  as  not  to  displace  other  kinds.  It  is 
a  great  mistake,  however,  to  try  to  plant  too  many  sorts  in  one  garden,  unless  it  is 
big  enough  to  allow  of  certain  varieties  being  placed  where  they  cannot  all  be  seen  at 
once.  Reference  to  any  of  the  illustrations  in  this  work  which  show  bog  plants  will 
prove  that  the  best  effects  are  obtained  by  careful  grouping  of  a  few  kinds  which  are 
of  a  class  to  harmonize  with  their  surroundings  (111.  Nos.  259  and  264) . 

All  such  gardens  but  the  very  smallest  will  need  the  help  of  a  background  of  such 
moisture-loving  trees  as  willows  and  alders.  There  are  literally  dozens  of  native  or 
naturalized  varieties  of  the  former  which  are  all  useful,  and  their  catkins,  which  are  the 
very  first  harbingers  of  Spring,  make  them  additionally  welcome.  Whether  they  shall 
be  pollarded  or  left  to  grow  naturally  will  depend  on  circumstances,  and  especially 
whether  they  are  throwing  too  much  shade  over  the  whole  garden.  The  aim  should 
be  to  have  it  so  contrived  that  part  is  in  shade,  a  portion  in  partial  sun,  and  another 
in  full  sun. 

Where  no  stream  of  water  exists,   enough  for  the  decoration  of  such  an  arrangement     Streams. 
may  often  be  obtained  from   the  overflow  of   a   fountain   placed   in   the   more   ornamental 
portions  of  the  grounds,   or  by  draining  pasture  or  other  land  at  a  higher  level  than  the 
garden,   when   a  little   dripping   well   or  bubbling   spring   may   be   contrived,   and   the   cool 
sound   of   falling   water  be   added   to   the   other   delights   of   the   place. 

We  may,  of  course,  be  troubled  with  too  much  water.  In  such  cases,  to  prevent 
aquatic  plants  from  being  washed  away,  large  deep  pools  should  be  constructed,  in  the 
backwaters  of  which  still  places  will  be  found  wherein  to  arrange  the  vegetation.  The 
most  difficult  case  of  all  is  where  the  supply  varies  very  much,  being  now  a  rushing 
torrent  and,  at  another  time,  almost  drying  up.  This  may  necessitate  the  formation  of 
a  weir  connecting  with  a  culvert,  which  may  have  its  opening  at  such  a  level  as  auto- 
matically to  relieve  the  water  garden  of  the  surplus  when  the  stream  exceeds  a  given 
flow.  Needless  to  say,  such  an  arrangement  should  be  kept  out  of  sight. 

Grass,  either  shelving  down  into  the  water  or  ending  in  a  broken  bank  on  its  margin 
will  form  a  part  of  all  bog  gardens.  In  one  case,  the  wildness  of  the  other  portions 
will  demand  that  it  shall  be  in  rough  tussocks  with  rushes  growing  out  of  it,  while  in 
another,  it  should  be  the  velvet  carpet  of  the  English  meadow.  In  either  case, 
primroses,  -  cowslip,  oxlip,  bird's  eye,  snowdrop,  violets,  lilies-of-the-valley  and,  most 
charming  of  all,  the  blue  forget-me-not,  will  all  be  found  congenial  positions  where  they 
may  grow.  The  crocus,  while  it  will  grow  well  in  grass,  is  a  little  too  showy  for 
the  wild  garden,  and  is  better  kept  for  the  lawns  near  the  house.  As  a  rule,  a  rich 
peaty  loam  which  retains  the  damp  will  give  a  rank  grass,  while  a  very  light,  almost 
pure  sand  will  sustain  only  dwarf  close-growing  sorts,  which  will  not  form  tussocks. 
That  portion  of  the  greensward  which  is  close  to  the  water,  especially  where  there  is  a 
more  or  less  steep  bank,  should  be  turfed,  not  sown,  and  the  turf  pegged  into  the  bank 
by  thrusting  through  it  sharpened  stakes  about  nine  inches  to  a  foot  long,  and  three 

205 


Grottos. 


Wall 
gardens. 


ROCK,    WALL    AND    BOG    GARDENS. 

quarters  of   an   inch    to  an  inch   in   diameter.      By  the  time  these  have  rotted  away,   the 
turf   will   be   firmly   established. 

In  certain  cases,  in  order  to  obtain  a  proper  gradient  for  a  garden  path,  it  may 
need  excavating  several  feet  at  one  point.  By  making  the  excavation  a  little  wider  in 
certain  parts,  we  may  arrange  such  a  garden  as  that  just  described  under  the  happiest 
circumstances.  In  such  schemes,  little  caves  and  -grottos  are  delightful  when  well  arranged, 
and  provide  an  opportunity  for  the  cultivation  of  many  tiny  ferns  and  beautiful  mosses 
and  lichens  which  will  not  thrive  elsewhere,  except  on  the  walls  of  old  wells  in  country 
districts.  It  is  in  these  features,  however,  that  failure  to  make  the  artificial  rockwork 
completely  satisfactory  is  most  often  apparent.  It  is  so  difficult  to  avoid  any  suggestion 
of  a  built-up  arch  or  lintel  over  the  opening,  and  to  make  the  interior  look  as  though 
wrought  out  of  the  solid  rock  by  the  action  of  the  elements,  as  in  the  case  of  a  natural 
cave.  Limestone  lends  itself  most  naturally  to  this  class  of  work,  as  it  is  in  this  rock 


FIG.     266. — WALL     GARDEN    AT     WOOD,      DEVONSHIRE. 

that  nine-tenths  of  the  larger  natural  caves  are  found.  Sandstone  does  not  usually 
provide  deep  caves,  and,  in  this  material,  deep,  water-worn  clefts  overhung  by  a  boldly- 
projecting  stratum  look  more  in  keeping  than  a  regular  cave-chamber.  The  grotto-work 
of  the  Georgian  garden,  a  little  cave  studded  all  over  its  interior  surface  with  sea  shells, 
little  mirrors  or  coloured  glass  is  a  childish  affectation,  and  quite  unsuited  to  the 
wild  garden.  A  naturally  treated  grotto  of  limestone,  in  a  limestone  district,  with  its 
stalactites  and  dripping  well,  is  not,  of  course,  open  to  the  same  objection. 

In  other  cases  where  excavation  has  been  necessary,  a  wall  garden  may  be  the  better 
method,  especially  on  a  path  subject  to  much  traffic,  or  where  there  is  no  room  to  expand 
it  into  a  rocky  glen.  In  this  case,  instead  of  artificial  rockwork,  the  banks  will  be  kept 
back  by  walls  of  large  boulders  or  rough-hewn  stones,  so  built  that  plants  may  be 


206 


ROCK,    WALL    AND    BOG    GARDENS. 


FIG.    267. 


inserted  in  the  interstices.  Illustration  No.  266  shows  such  a  wall-garden.  Its  construc- 
tion needs  special  care  and  thoroughness,  as,  by  attention  to  the  needs  of  the  plants 
with  which  it  is  to  be  graced,  during  the  process  of  building,  much  better  results  can  be 
obtained.  The  varying  habits  of  different  plants  will  also  need  providing  for.  One  may 

have  barely  more  than  a  surface  hold  of  the 
wall,  while  another  will  die  unless  its  roots 
can  find  their  way  deep  into  the  bank  at  the 
back  of  the  stones,  where  there  will  always 
be  coolness  and  moisture,  even  in  the  hottest 
weather.  In  building  an  ordinary  wall,  however 
rough,  everything  is  done  to  keep  the  interior 
as  dry  as  possible,  but  here  we  must  aim  at  the 
reverse,  and  invite  rain  to  trickle  into  the  spaces 
between  the  stones.  This  is  done  by  making  the 
outer  surface  of  the  wall  slope  back  against  the 
bank  which  it  supports,  and  the  upper  surfaces 
of  individual  stones  also  to  slope  inwards,  as  in 
the  section  given  (111.  No.  267). 

The  process  of  building  such  a  wall  will  be 
somewhat  as  follows  : — The  ground  having  been 
excavated  not  only  sufficiently  to  take  the  wall  itself,  but  also  a  backing  of  garden 
loam,  a  trench  the  depth  of  one  course  of  stones  is  dug  as  a  foundation.  For  this, 
large  flat  stones  will  be  used,  and  placed  as  evenly  as  possible  and,  on  them,  the  upper 
courses  will  be  built.  No  one  who  has  not  tried  will  realize  the  difficulty  of  avoiding 
any  stiffness  in  the  arrangement  of  the  stones  and  the  pockets  of  soil  for  the  plants. 
The  builder  must  have  the  ultimate  result,  when  the  whole  is  completed  and  the  plants 
are  fully  grown,  clearly  outlined  in  his  mind's  eye,  or  not  only  will  it  be  patchy,  but 
drooping  varieties  may  be  so  placed  as  to  hang  over  and  choke  smaller  things,  and 
others  which  look  best  in  large  masses  may  not  be  given  sufficient  room. 

The  best  way  is  to  build  the  plants  in  as  the  wall  proceeds,  using  good  loam  with  a 
little  light  manure,  much  as  the  mason  would  use  mortar,  except  that  a  good  mass  must 
be  placed  at  the  back  of  the  wall  between  it  and  the  clay,  or  whatever  the  local  subsoil 
consists  of.  The  stones  used  should,  of  course,  be  indigenous  to  the  district,  or  the  whole 
will  have  a  very  artificial  appearance.  As  in  every  other  form  of  planting,  the  great 
key  to  success  is  to  plant  in  masses  and  so  avoid  giving  the  wall  an  appearance  of  being 
"  stuck  about  "  with  a  patchy  assortment  of  little  weedy  plants.  Such  profuse-flowering 
things  as  cerastium  may  be  given  two  or  three  square  yards  of  wall-space  to  cover  almost 
entirely,  with  the  happiest  results.  Where  the  wall  is  fairly  high,  small  things  may  fill 
the  crevices  near  the  top,  and  below,  such  shrubs  as  Cotoneaster  macrophilla,  C. 
Simmonsi,  Clematis  montana  and  others  of  the  kind  will  grow  at  its  base  and  climb 
over  it. 

Another  important  point  to  remember  in  building  the  wall  is  to  provide  "  throughs " 
to  bind  it  to  the  bank  behind.  These  are  extra  long  stones  built  into  the  wall  so  that 
they  may  reach  back  into  the  bank  and  bind  the  former  to  it. 

After  the  wall  is  completed,  with  its  plants  all  built  in  as  described,  it  will,  of 
course,  be  necessary  to  renew  them  from  the  surface,  and  also  to  provide  for  the  annual 
subjects.  This  is  best  done  by  rolling  the  seeds  into  a  little  ball  of  earth  and  inserting 
them  into  the  chinks  between  the  stones. 

Whether  it  skirts  a  wall  garden  or  passes  through  a  rocky  dell,  the  pathway  in  this 
class  of  garden  should  be  roughly  paved  with  flat  stones  of  the  same  kind  that  is  used 
for  the  rest  of  the  work.  No  attempt  should  be  made  to  square  these  stones,  but  the 


Crazy 

paving. 


207 


ROCK,    WALL    AND    BOG    GARDENS. 


Alpine 
gardens. 


FIG.    268. — STEPS    IN    THE   WALL    GARDEN. 


best  should  be  made  of  them  in  their  rough  state.  The  result  will  be  what  is  sometimes 
called  "  crazy "  paving,  and  it  will  possess  a  large  number  of  little  cracks  which  will 
accommodate  small  rock  plants.  The  steps  will  be  treated  in  the  same  way  and,  when 
the  whole  is  planted,  they  will  add  very  much  to  the  effect  of  the  garden  (111.  No.  268) . 

Usually,  however,  when  paths  and 
steps  are  planted,  sooner  or  later 
the  planting  is  overdone,  and  a 
very  untidy  effect  results.  It  should 
never  be  lost  sight  of  that  they 
are  intended  for  walking  upon,  and 
the  planting  should  be  kept  quite 
subsidiary  to  this  first  and  greatest 
requirement.  This  will  best  be 
done  by  keeping  the  centre  quite 
clear  and  confining  the  planting 
to  the  sides,  corners  and  the  risers 
of  the  steps.  The  planted  paving 
is  extremely  useful  in  allowing  of 
the  fuller  use  of  annuals  grown 
from  seed,  as  the  seeds  can  be 
scattered  here  so  much  more 
successfully  than  on  the  face  of  a  wall. 

The  real  aesthetic  difference  between  the  wall  garden  and  the  rock  garden  is  that 
the  first  is  confessedly  an  attempt  to  beautify  a  utilitarian  feature  as  a  wall  must  always 
be,  whether  erected  for  the  shelter  it  gives  or  to  retain  an  earth  bank,  while  the  rockwork, 
except  for  such  adjuncts  as  stepping  stones  (111.  No.  269),  is  copied  from  Nature 
as  faithfully  as  possible. 

Where,  as  so  often  seems  to  be  the  case,  this  difference  is  not  realized,  and  the  wall 
looks  rather  like  an  attempt  to  imitate  a  natural  rock,  or  the  rockwork  is  obviously  built, 
the  whole  result  is  spoiled  and  the  work  looks  purile  and  affected. 

There  is  again  this  difference,  that  the  rock  garden,  with  its  direct  portrayal  of 
Nature,  demands  that  it  be  planted  with  shrubs,  ferns  and  flowers  that  will  appear 
indigenous.  Anything  pronouncedly  exotic  will  clash  most  forcibly  with  the  general 
sentiment  of  the  whole  scheme,  such  as  yuccas,  cacti  or  tropical  grasses,  though  one 
often  sees  the  last  of  these  in  such  positions,  showing  how  little  this  is  realized. 

This  consideration  points  to  the  real  function  of  the  slightly  more  conventionalized 
wall  garden.  In  planting  it  we  are  bound  by  no  such  limitations,  and  almost  anything 
may  be  used  so  long  as  there  is  not  too  great  a  mixture,  for  even  here  we  shall 
obtain  a  better  effect  by  the  exercise  of  a  little  care  in  selecting  the  plants  so  that, 
while  there  is  an  avoidance  of  monotony  on  the  one  hand,  we  have  not  the  appearance 
of  an  untidy  mixture  on  the  other. 

The  one  exception  which  I  would  make  to  this  rule  is  when  the  whole  of  the  rock 
garden  is  given  up  to  one  particular  class  of  plants,  when  the  rockwork  becomes  by  evident 
and  tacit  consent  merely  the  best  available  background  for  the  class  of  shrubs  to  be 
grown.  Thus,  in  the  case  of  the  Alpine  garden,  it  is  impossible  to  ape  the  glories  of 
the  Alps,  and  so  reproduce  the  conditions  under  which  these  attractive  little  plants  have 
their  natural  habitat,  and  the  rockwork  forms  the  most  suitable  background  available. 
Still,  the  writer  is  inclined  to  think  that  the  most  successful  Alpine  gardens  from  the 
point  of  view  of  collective  effect  are  those  in  which  the  background  consists  either  of 
virgin  rock,  or  a  rough  built  wall  which,  being  to  hand  in  the  first  instance,  have 
obviously  been  adopted  for  that  reason  rather  than  a  rock  garden  specially  made  for 


208 


ROCK,    WALL    AND    BOG    GARDENS. 


their    accommodation,    which    may    invite    invidious    comparisons    with    the    native    sur- 
roundings   of   the   plants. 

Generally  speaking,  however,  the  charm  of  the  Alpine  garden  is  in  its  details,  in  the 
care  and  nurture  of  individual  plants,  and  the  study  of  the  conditions  under  which  they 
thrive,  for,  notwithstanding  all  that  has  been  said  of  the  impossibility  of  reproducing 
those  conditions  on  the  aesthetic  side,  on  the  imitation,  as  nearly  as  possible,  of  the  soil 
and  aspect  with  which  these  plants  favour,  the  whole  effect  will  depend.  This  will  involve 
some  knowledge  of  the  geological  distribution  of  the  particular  genus,  for  though  most 
of  these  little  plants  are  fairly  tolerant  of  unsuitable  rock  material,  the  best  results  can 
never  be  obtained  unless  the  grower  understands  which  of  them  belong  to  the  granite, 
the  limestone,  and  the  sandstone  formations. 

Although  those  persons  whose  preferences  lead  them  to  look  with  favour  only  on 
vivid  masses  of  rampant  colour  such  as  we  endeavour  to  obtain  in  the  herbaceous 
borders,  will  look  with  contempt  on  the  Alpine  garden,  it  is  nevertheless  one  of  the 
most  delightful  as  well  as  the  most  difficult  branches  of  the  horticulturalist's  art,  and 
the  very  fact  that  it  requires  infinite  patience  and  considerable  study  of  the  needs  and 
preferences  of  individual  plants  makes  it  particularly  attractive  to  the  person  who  loves 
a  garden.  Of  course  the  attempt  to  rear  too  many  of  the  most  delicate  and  difficult 
varieties  will  spoil  the  general  ap- 
pearance entirely,  and,  while  a  few 
may  be  attempted,  the  more  robust 
should  predominate  in  order  to 
give  the  necessary  effect  of  more 
vigorous  growth. 

In  constructing  the  Alpine 
garden,  the  main  thing  is  to  re- 
member that  a  light  sandy  soil  on 
a  dry  foundation  is  necessary. 
Nevertheless,  the  soil  must  not  be 
too  sparse,  and  behind  the  rocks 
and  stones,  or  between  the  crevices 
of  the  virgin  rock  must  be  cool 
depths  of  sandy  loam  if  the  plants 
are  to  survive  a  hot  summer.  In 
the  case  of  an  artificial  garden,  by 
which  is  meant  one  not  formed  on 
natural  rocks,  the  soil  should  be  excavated  for  a  depth  of  about  two  feet  throughout 
the  entire  area,  and  the  bottom  be  filled  up  with  dry  hard  material,  such  as  brickbats 
and  clinkers,  to  a  depth  of  nine  inches  in  order  to  give  perfect  drainage.  If  the  area  is 
at  all  restricted  this  will  best  be  done  by  overhand  trenching,  as  described  in  the  chapter 
on  kitchen  gardens,  and  the  soil  should  be  well  screened  and  the  flints  or  stones  placed 
among  the  rough  material.  On  this  can  be  placed  the  rocks  and  soil,  the  latter  enriched 
with  light  manure  if  at  all  poor,  and  mixed  with  sand  if  heavy  or  clayey.  The 
finished  garden  may  be  of  any  extent,  according  to  the  space  available  and  the  amount 
of  money  it  is  desired  to  spend  on  construction  and  upkeep.  In  any  case,  sufficient 
of  the  roughly  paved  paths  and  steps  to  allow  of  every  part  being  reached  and  examined 
at  close  quarters  will  be  necessary.  The  provision  of  a  water  supply  is  also  of 
importance,  as  the  garden  will  need  watering  in  hot  weather. 

There  is,  however,  another  form  of  wall  garden  besides  that  which  has  for  its  foun- 
dation a  specially-built  wall  of  large  blocks.  In  most  old  domains,  and  in  nearly  all 
that  are  being  re-formed  from  farmsteads,  there  are  walls  of  the  local  building  material, 


FIG.    269. — STEPPING   STONES    IN   THE   ROCK    GARDEN. 


Old  walls. 


209 


ROCK,    WALL    AND    BOG    GARDENS. 


be  it  stone  or  brick,  which  are  already  most  artistic,  and  need  only  the  addition  of  a 
few  homely  wall  plants,  such  as  stonecrop,  roof  flax,  London  pride,  antirrhinum,  wall- 
flower, fumitory  and  roof  leek  to  make  them  doubly  so,  especially  if  some  of  the 
large  free-growing  cabbage  roses  can  be  trained  over  the  coping.  Such  simple,  old- 
fashioned  flowers  seem  to  harmonize  better  with  old  walls  which  do  not  form  a  part  of 
the  main  gardens  far  better  than  the  newer  varieties  ;  but,  even  with  them,  care  should 
be  taken  not  to  overdo  it,  as  old,  weather-stained  walls  are  beautiful  in  themselves,  and 
should  not  be  so  fully  planted  up  as  to  hide  their  weather-beaten  surfaces.  Nor  should 
too  many  varieties  be  used.  Old  black  slate  walls  in  the  English  Lake  District,  which 
are  so  beautiful  as  to  attract  the  attention  of  -every  visitor  who  sees  them,  usually  only 
boast  two  varieties  of  simple  fern,  and  two  or  three  of  moss,  and  yet  provide  an  object 
lesson  in  the  effectiveness  of  the  simplest  treatment,  Nature  pointing  a  way  for  us  to 
follow  in  our  wall  planting. 

Where  a  brick  or  stone  wall  is  being  built  specially  for  use  as  a  wall  garden,  mortar 
made  with  sand,  not  ashes,  should  be  used  and,  of  course,  if  there  is  any  suspicion  that 
the  sand  is  salt,  it  should  be  washed.  To  slope  back  the  face  of  an  independent  wall 
sufficiently  to  encourage  the  rain  to  soak  in  between  the  joints,  as  in  building  a  retaining 
wall,  is  not  usually  possible,  and  in  this  case  the  best  way  is  to  have  projecting  courses, 
as  shown  in  the  accompanying  sketch  (111.  No.  272).  Where  the  coping  is  above  the 
eye  from  every  point  of  view  so  that  its  upper  surface  cannot  be  seen,  holes  may  be 
made  in  it  as  shown  in  illustration  No.  271,  so  that  they  may  be  filled  with  soil  and 
a  larger  range  of  plants  may  be  placed  there  where  their  trailing  branches  will  hang 
over  the  wall. 

Where    the   area  of    a  garden  is   so   restricted   that    it   is   impossible  to   devote    any 

part  of  it  exclusively  to  rock  plants,  these 
may  still  be  grown  very  effectively  by 
arranging  a  boulder- built  edging  to  retain 
the  piled  up  earth  on  an  herbaceous  border. 
Not  only  does  the  raising  of  the  border 
give  the  flowers  it  contains  more  prominence 
but  it  will  tend  to  keep  the  plants  growing 
in  the  fissures  between  the  boulders  moist 
and  so  a  double  advantage  is  gained. 

Illustration  No.  270  shows  how  this 
may  be  done.  As  there  can  obviously  be 
no  attempt  at  imitating  natural  rock,  it 
is  built  in  two  regular  tiers,  and  in  order 
to  prevent  an  appearance  of  a  flight  of 
steps  or  a  monotonous  row  of  stones,  large 
"  throughs  "  are  introduced  which  also  give 


FIG.  270. 

shelter   to   small   and   tender   plants. 
What  to  In  deciding  what   to  plant  in  our  rock  or  wall  gardens,  we  are  confronted   with   un 

plant.  embarras    de    choix,    for    there    is    an    enormous   range    of   material    upon    which    to   draw. 

The  best  way  is  for  the  beginner  to  start  with  a  few  of  the  common  sorts  which  will 
succeed  well,  and  then  take  note  of  and  add  others  as  he  comes  across  them  if  they 
appeal  to  him  and  appear  suitable  to  the  position  they  are  to  occupy.  Preference 
should  always  be  given  to  native  varieties,  and  no  better  advice  could  be  given  than  to 
stroll  through  pastoral  country  and  note  the  common  harts-tongue  fern  for  a  moist 
position,  the  three  main  varieties  of  tree  fern  for  shade,  the  tall  foxglove,  the  honey- 
suckle, of  which  two  kinds  will  be  noticed,  the  harebell,  the  parsley  fern,  and  many 
others  which  thrive  on  walls  and  rocks,  and  use  these  in  positions  as  like  those  in 
which  they  are  found  in  nature  as  possible. 


210 


ROCK,    WALL    AND    BOG    GARDENS. 


FIG.    271. 


Of  course  one  great  requirement  to  be  fulfilled  is  a  proper  succession  of  effects 
throughout  the  year,  and  the  writer  always  feels  that  the  rock  garden  is  one  of  the 
very  best  places  for  a  Winter  display.  There  are  so  many  things,  like  Crataegus  Lelandi, 
Cotoneaster  macrophilla,  C.  Simonsi,  which  love  a  rock  or  wall  to  trail  over,  and  are 
covered  in  the  Winter  with  brightly  coloured  berries,  which  contrast  strongly  with  their 
dark  olive-green  leaves,  which  are  evergreen.  Then  for  flowers,  we  have  the  Christmas 
rose,  chimonanthus,  the  Winter  jasmine  and 
others.  The  last  of  these  is  very  useful  indeed, 
as  it  has  bright  green  stems  as  well  as 
yellow  flowers  to  give  colour  to  the  rock  at 
this  dull  time  of  the  year.  Then  as  the  season 
advances  we  should  arrange  for  a  fine  show  of 
snowdrops,  daffodils  and  other  Spring  bulbous 
plants,  which  will  come  up  year  after  year 
without  attention,  and  all  the  other  Spring 
flowers  which  are  so  charming  in  nature,  such 
as  the  primrose.  The  flowering  currant  (Ribes 
sanguineum)  is  very  useful  too  in  very  early 
Spring,  as  it  is  of  a  larger  size  and  a  profuse 

bloomer,  and  the  hedge  mustard,  of  which  the  two  or  three  commonest  varieties  are 
all  worth  planting,  should  be  included.  Thus  the  garden  may  be  attractive  at  the 
dullest  periods  of  the  year,  and  until  the  regular  Summer  season  commences,  to  be 
followed  by  the  autumn-flowering  species. 

Plants  for  special  positions  will  also  be  needed.  Thus  the  foxglove  is  very  useful 
on  the  soil  at  the  foot  of  a  wall  on  its  North  and  shaded  side,  as  is  also  the  roumelia 
(Haberlea  Ramondia)  where  not  too  damp,  or  the  giant  parsley,  the  rosette  mullein 

(Ramondia  pyrenaica),  a  pretty  little  Alpine 
plant  which  may  be  grown  from  seed,  and,  of 
course,  nearly  all  kinds  of  ferns  will  be  useful 
in  such  a  position.  These  last  will  also  be  em- 
ployed in  any  damp  situation  on  the  rock  work, 
while,  under  the  opposite  conditions,  on  or  in 
the  crevices  of  a  hot  dry  wall,  wallflowers, 
Campanula  pyramidalis  (a  form  of  Canterbury 
bell),  and  the  sunrose  (Helianthus),  with  masses 
of  rambler  and  Dorothy  Perkins  roses,  with 
such  things  as  roof  leek  and  London  pride 
will  make  a  good  groundwork  for  filling  in 
from  time  to  time. 

Nearly  every  nurseryman's  catalogue  con- 
tains a  list  of  plants  specially  chosen  for 
their  suitability  for  the  bog  garden,  and,  if 
the  advice  previously  given  is  borne  in  mind, 
to  plant  only  a  few  native  or  thoroughly 
naturalized  varieties  in  large  masses,  the  result 
cannot  but  be  pleasing.  A  suitable  selection 

for  most  positions  could  be  made  of  those  things,  such  as  gunnera  and  flags,  which 
have  already  been  mentioned,  with  a  few  others  to  give  added  colour,  such  as  the 
large  double  marsh  marigold  (Caltha  palustris  monstrosa  fl.  pi.),  three  or  four  varieties 
of  orange  globe  (Trollius),  and  others  of  a  similar  kind. 

It    is   with   the   greatest    regret    that    the    Author   is   compelled,    by    the    exigencies   of 


FIG.    272. — WALL   WITH    PROJECTING   COURSES    TO 
INVITE    RAIN    TO    ENTER. 


211 


ROCK,    WALL    AND    BOG    GARDENS. 

Specialized      space,  to  turn  from  this  delightful  subject  without  saying  something  of  all  those  specialized 

wild  branches  of  wild  gardening  which  are  of  such  absorbing  interest.      The  Alpine  garden  has 

gardens.  been   mentioned,    but    there   are   many   others,    such    as    the   iris   garden,    the   spring   bulb 

garden,   which  is  usually  a   woodland  glade  the   grass  of   which   is  studded  with  all  sorts 

of    spring    flowers,    as   in    illustration    No.    273,   the    fernery,   the   little   garden   devoted   to 


FIG.     273. — WILD     GARDEN,     FOOTS     CRAY     PLACE,     KENT. 

insectivorous  plants,  the  bamboo  garden,  and  so  on.  The  work  of  designing  all  these 
and  many  others  is,  however,  very  similar  to  those  discussed,  and  it  is  hoped  that  a 
perusal  of  this  chapter  will  enable  the  garden  designer  to  grasp  the  principle  underlying 
the  arrangement  of  any  of  them. 


212 


FIG.     274  —CONSERVATORY,     WEST     PARK,     WOI.VERHAMPTON. 


FIG.    275. — CONSERVATORY    AT    "  THE    HILL,"    HAMPSTEAD. 


CHAPTER    XIV. 

There  is  perhaps  no  detail  of  domestic  architecture  which  calls  for  so  much  care 
in  its  design  and  proportions  as  a  conservatory.  Whether  it  is  attached  immediately 
to  the  residence  or  is  placed  separately  and  reached  by  a  glass  corridor,  it  is  a  feature 
which  may,  in  the  hands  of  a  capable  architect,  be  a  delight  to  the  eye  as  well  as 
forming  a  most  useful  and  pleasant  adjunct  to  the  mansion.  Yet,  if  one  may  be  allowed 
to  judge  from  the  conservatories  usually  erected,  even  in  conjunction  with  architecture  of 
real  merit,  it  would  seem  that  few  people  realize  that  intelligent  design  can  be  applied  to 
such  structures,  and  that  the  only  means  of  rendering  them  presentable  does  not  consist 
in  the  mistaken  application  of  spidery  cast-iron  ridging  and  crudely  assorted  panes  of 
coloured  glass.  All  that  is  necessary  to  prove  the  contrary  is  to  compare  such  build-  Stock 
ings  with  the  delightful  orangeries  and  conservatories  attached  to  some  of  the  larger  designs. 
Georgian  mansions,  such  as  the  conservatory  at  Belton  House,  Grantham,  with  its  severely 
plain  but  exquisitely  balanced  treatment,  or  the  more  elaborately  detailed  one  at  Ven 
House,  Milborne  Port,  Somersetshire,  either  of  which  would  provide  the  designer  of  the 
modern  structures  with  a  much  needed  object-lesson.  Compare  these  with  the  photo- 
graphs in  the  horticultural  builders'  catalogues  from  which  unfortunately  the  modern 
examples  are  evolved.  It  would  never  seem  to  have  struck  the  prospective  builders 
that  it  is  just  as  necessary  that  the  conservatory  should  be  designed  by  a  competent 
garden  architect  who  understands  both  the  aesthetic  and  practical  requirements,  as  that 
a  domestic  architect  should  be  retained  for  the  mansion,  or  a  specialist  in  any  other 
branch  of  design,  and  instead,  they  have  chosen  one,  two  or  three  specimens,  from  the 
catalogue  as  the  case  may  be,  according  to  the  amount  of  accommodation  required. 

So  long  as  the  selection  of  stock  designs  is   confined  to  the  provision  of  propagating 
and   growing   houses,   which   can  be   kept  more    or   less   out   of  sight   and   from   which   the  ' 

plants  are  removed  to  the  conservatory  when  blooming,  this  short-sighted  method  may 
not  result  in  much  harm,  provided  that  the  materials  and  workmanship  are  good,  but, 
when  intended  as  an  adjunct  to  the  house  or  pleasure  grounds,  and  especially  when 
viewed  in  conjunction  with  the  former,  it  is  necessary  that  position,  planning,  grouping, 
and  details  should  all  receive  consideration.  It  is  above  all  things  necessary  that  the 
treatment  of  a  glasshouse  should  be  distinctly  architectural  without  heaviness. 

The   use    to    which    the   conservatory   is    to    be    put    is    of   course    the   first    and   most     Planning 
important  factor  in  determining  its  planning.       In  most   circumstances,   a   pleasant  "  with-     the  con- 
drawing  "   room   is   required   where,    at   all   periods   of    the   year,   the  users  may  enjoy  the     servatory. 
sunshine  amid  fresh  flowers  and  foliage,  when  it  will  have  to  be  planned    so    that    it    has 
convenient  access  to  the   entertaining   rooms.      In  other  cases,  where  immediate  connection 
with  the  mansion  is  not  essential,  and  more  light  and  air  are  required  than  can  be  obtained 
when  one   side  is  against  the  house,  it  is  often  found   advisable  to  place  the  conservatory 


215 


CONSERVATORIES,    GREENHOUSES,    VINERIES    AND    FRUIT    HOUSES. 

a  short  distance  away  from  the  main  block  and  to  connect  the  two  by  means  of  a  glazed 
corridor  or  colonnaded  loggia,  which  in  itself  may  be  made  a  delightful  feature  within 
by  roses  or  other  plants  grown  over  trellis,  and  may  from  without  provide  a  necessary 
screen  from  different  portions  of  the  grounds,  and  so  fulfil  a  double  purpose.  Where 
it  helps  to  enclose  a  cloistered  or  other  secluded  garden  on  its  sheltered  side,  it  may 
be  open  towards  it  and  thus  provide  the  opportunity  for  a  very  charming  arrangement  of 
arches  overlooking  the  pleasaunce,  or  some  similar  treatment. 

The  conservatory  attached  to  a  palatial  residence  must,  of  course,  be  a  very  differ- 
ent structure  to  one  which  is  attached  to  a  brick  suburban  villa.  In  the  former,  stone 
entablature  and  pillars  may  be  necessary,  while  for  the  latter  a  much  lighter  erection 
might  be  suitable  provided  that  the  cornice  and  moldings  are  correctly  designed,  and 
they  and  the  spaces  between  the  glass  rails  are  well  proportioned. 


LOGGIA     AMD    JWNIN&   COVVIT  : 


AN    ORANGERY,  WITH  LOGGIA  &  DINING   COWT 


FIG.    276. 

If  the  conservatory  is  to  be  considered  as  an  additional  apartment  of  the  house  in 
which  bright  and  beautiful  flowers  are  to  be  merely  displayed  and  not  grown,  then  the 
greater  part  of  the  floor  space  may  be  reserved  for  chairs  and  tables,  with  perhaps  a 
wall  fountain  and  one  or  two  sculptured  figures,  the  greenery  being  so  arranged  as  to  give 
it  the  character  of  a  quiet  retreat.  In  such  circumstances  the  proportions  of  solid  stone 
or  brickwork  and  wood  to  the  area  of  glass  can  be  considerably  increased,  but  where, 
on  the  other  hand,  it  is  not  only  to  be  used  for  showing  plants  grown  in  the  greenhouses 
but  also  for  the  growth  of  roses  and  flowering  climbers,  then  the  proportion  of  glass 
to  solid  spaces  must  be  as  great  as  possible.  Large  sheets  of  plate  glass  should,  how- 
ever, be  avoided,  for  they,  aesthetically  speaking,  make  blank  holes  in  the  walls,  while  if 


216 


CONSERVATORIES,    GREENHOUSES,    VINERIES    AND    FRUIT    HOUSES, 

broken,  they  are  very  expensive  to  replace.  A  conservatory  on  the  South-east 
or  South-west  of  a  house  which  stands  conspicuously  on  a  hillside  and  which 
contains  large  panes  of  plate  glass,  has  a  hard  and  glaring  effect  and  suggests  a  huge 
mirror,  especially  if  there  are  no  trees  near  to  give  partial  shade  and  break  the  hard  lines 
of  the  angles.  It  will  always  harmonize  better  with  the  residence  if  the  sides  and  end 
are  glazed  with  comparatively  small  panes  of  strong  sheet  glass,  nicely  proportioned, 
which,  not  being  highly  polished  or  perfectly  flat,  reflect  the  light  at  varying  angles. 

In  illustrations  Nos.    276,  274,  275  and  277  are  shown   four  conservatories    of    varying     Examples 
degrees  of  importance,  all  occupying  positions  in   which  it  was  necessary  that  they  should     of  conserva- 
attain  an  architectural  expression.      The  first  was  planned  for  a  residence  in  Lancashire,  but     tones  of 

unfortunately  as  carried   out  has  undergone  many  alterations.     It   was  to  have  formed  an     vanous 

S'izes 
extension  to  a  large  open-  loggia  used  as  an   open-air    dining   room  and   to    be    so    treated 

as  to  give  a  necessary  covered  approach  to  the  enclosed  garden  beyond.  It  was 
intended  to  be  used  as  a  Winter  Garden,  or  Orangery,  with  ample  floor  space  for  chairs, 
and,  while  the  roof  was  to  be  arranged  as  simply  as  possible  to  obtain  the  maximum 
amount  of  light,  it  was  necessary  to  design  the  front  in  harmony  with  the  mansion,  for 
which  purpose  the  stone  arches  and  open  verandah  shown  in  the  illustration  were  suggested. 

The  second  illustration  shows  a  conservatory  erected  in  the  West  Park,  Wolverhampton. 
The  design  is  adapted  from  that  of  the  old  English  orangery  and  would  form  a  very 
suitable  structure  to  place  at  one  end  of  a  flower  garden  where  architectural  expression  is 
desirable. 


'•-:mm^ 


FIG.    277. — CONSERVATORY    WITH    GREENHOUSE — CORRIDOR    CONNECTING   WITH    HOUSE. 


The  third  of  these  is  shown  in  illustration  No.  275,  and  was  erected  at  "  The  Hill," 
Hampstead,  for  Sir  William  Lever,  Bart.  It  not  only  closed  the  well-marked  main  axial  line 
through  the  grounds,  and  at  right  angles  to  the  main  garden  front  of  the  house,  and  on 
which  the  water-lily  pond  and  terrace  steps  are  placed,  but  also,  together  with  the  green- 
houses on  either  side,  gave  privacy  to  the  grounds,  which  were  previously  overlooked  at 
that  point  from  a  knoll  forming  part  of  Hampstead  Heath.  As  will  be  seen  from  the 
illustration,  the  ornament  has  been  carefully  concentrated  on  the  main  gable  and  the 
rest  kept  severely  plain  to  give  contrast  and  throw  it  into  relief,  and  great  care  has  been 
exercised  in  both  the  general  proportions  and  the  spacing  and  arrangement  of  the  glass 
rails  and  other  details. 

The  fourth  illustration  (No.  277),  shows  a  small  conservatory  designed  to  hide  unsightly 
back  buildings,  and  which  occupies  a  convenient  position  on  one  side  of  the  carriage 
circle.  There  is  only  one  small  supplementary  plant  house  for  keeping  it  supplied  with 
flowering  plants,  consequently  it  has  been  arranged  as  a  fernery  with  the  ferns  planted 
in  the  crevices  of  limestone  rock  arranged  naturally  against  the  back  wall  and  around 
the  sides.  As  will  be  seen  it  has  a  greenhouse  corridor  connecting  it  with  the  drawing- 
room,  thus  forming  a  convenient  and  desirable  promenade  under  glass,  and  giving  the 
conservatory  an  appearance  of  greater  size. 


217 


CONSERVATORIES,    GREENHOUSES,    VINERIES    AND    FRUIT    HOUSES. 


FIG.    278. 


The  con-  Incidental  reference  has  been  made  in  other  chapters  to  the  furnishing  of  conservatories. 

servatory          Very   much    will   depend,    of    course,   on   the    use   to   which    they    are    to    be  put,   and    the 
floor.  taste   of    the    users,   but    the    following    remarks    are    of    more   or    less    general    application. 

The  most  common  mistake  is  to  pave  them  with  many  coloured  tiles  in  a  startling 
and  obtrusive  star  or  check  pattern,  instead  of  subordinating  the  whole  of  the  interior 
treatment  to  the  flowers,  which  should  obviously  and  confessedly  form  the  centralizing 
interest.  In  the  case  of  all  but  the  most  elaborate  conservatories,  a  dull  red  or  buff-coloured 
tile  free  from  any  suspicion  of  shiny  glaze,  which  will  form  a  soft  and  pleasing  contrast 
to  the  dark  green  foliage  characteristic  of  hot-house  plants,  is  most  useful  and  may  be 
in  the  form  of  either  "  quarries  "  six  inches  square,  laid  either  square  or  diagonally,  or 
tiles  six  inches  by  two  inches  laid  in  the  "  herring  bone  "  pattern  so  often  used  for  wood 
block  flooring.  In  either  case  a  little  relief  may  be  given  by  a  narrow  margin  of  darker 
brown-coloured  tiles  six  or  nine  inches  from  the  wall. 

When  an  important  conservatory  is  attached  to  a  classic  mansion,  in  which  case  a 
large  amount  of  open  floor  space  would  probably  be  required,  the  pavement  may  be  laid 
with  marble  either  in  squares  of  one  or  alternating  colours,  or  lozenges  and 
diamonds,  as  in  the  sketch  (111.  No.  278),  which  is  not  such  a  costly 
process  as  might  be  supposed.  For  somewhat  smaller  structures  a  pleasing 
floor  may  also  be  obtained  by  using  sawn  limestone  in  conjunction  with 
green  slate,  blue  and  green  slate  or  red  and  yellow  sandstones,  the  effect 
of  the  last  on  a  large  scale  may  be  judged  from  an  inspection  of  the 
pavement  on  the  terrace  in  front  of  the  National  Gallery,  Trafalgar  Square, 
London. 

Blank  walls  Probably   the   majority   of   conservatories   possess   a    certain   amount    of   interior    blank 

in  conserva-     wall,    and    unless  the   proportion    of    this    is    so    great    as    seriously    to    interfere    with    the 
lories.  lighting,    it   may  be  regarded   rather   as   an   asset    than   otherwise,    for   it    allows    of    much 

individuality  of  treatment  and  delightful  results.  Where  from  four  to  six  feet  of  space 
in  front  of  it  can  be  spared  for  a  soil  bed,  naturally  treated  artificial  rockwork,  such  as 
that  described  in  Chapter  XIII.,  may  be  employed  with  charming  results,  though  there 
is  a  distinct  danger  of  pettiness  and  over-elaboration  in  treatment  to  be  guarded  against, 
due  to  the  effort  to  make  the  very  most  of  an  exceedingly  limited  space.  In  large 
schemes  of  this  kind,  a  dripping  well  for  ferns  with  pools  for  gold  fish  may  be  added, 
but  to  attempt  this  on  a  very  small  scale  is  apt  to  result  in  an  effect  which  suggests 
nothing  so  much  as  a  leaky  pipe  and  a  damp  place. 

Treillage  The    graceful  treillage    which    has    been    brought    to    such    a    pitch    of    elaboration    by 

in  the  con-      French    artists   is,   in  its   simpler   forms,   eminently    adapted    to   the   interior   ornamentation 

servatory.         Of   conservatories.       It   may   be   treated   either    as    a   form   of   wall   decoration   in   itself   or 

may  provide  a  support  for  the  slighter  exotic  climbing  plants,  or  screens  to  break   up   the 

interior    space    into    two    or    more    compartments    may    be    constructed    of    it.       Owing    to 

its   somewhat    delicate    construction    it    should    not    be    used    where    there   is   danger   of   its 

being  damaged.       In   any   case   it   should   be   designed  specially   to  meet   the   requirements 

of  each  individual  case.     Where  treillage  is   too  elaborate   or  too   fragile,   simple   forms  of 

ornamental  trellis,  designed  after  the  style  of  that  used  in  connection  with  so  many  Queen 

Anne  or  early-Georgian  houses,    may   be  used  with   great  effect. 

Of  the  smaller  furnishings,  chairs,  tables  and  what  not,  it  is  only  necessary  to  say 
that  they  should  be  light  and  portable,  and  of  a  nature  to  withstand  the  humid  atmo- 
sphere of  a  glasshouse  and,  as  in  the  case  of  the  paving,  quiet  and  harmonious  in 
colouring. 

In  most  gardens,  even  if  there  is  no  conservatory  to  be  kept  supplied  with  a  succes- 
sion of  flowering  exotics,  a  range  of  glasshouses,  large  or  small,  is  usually  considered 
necessary.  This  is  particularly  so  when  the  domain  is  situated  at  some  distance  from 


218 


CONSERVATORIES,    GREENHOUSES,    VINERIES    AND    FRUIT    HOUSES. 

a  market  and  so  the  fruiterer  and  florist  cannot  be  visited  without  considerable  trouble  ; 
but  even  when  this  incentive  is  absent,  there  is  the  delight  of  rearing  one's  own  fruit 
and  flowers,  which  are  not  only  fresher  than  those  which  have  been  bought,  but,  in 
the  case  of  fruits,  retain  the  beautiful  bloom  which  is  inevitably  destroyed  if  it  is 
necessary  for  them  to  be  packed  and  to  travel. 

As  a  rule,  the  planning  and 
arrangement  of  a  series  of  glasshouses 
are  left  more  or  less  to  chance  and 
expediency,  the  various  houses  being 
placed  anywhere  conveniently  ac- 
cessible where  the  necessary  open 
aspect  can  be  obtained,  or  a  wall 
exists  to  place  the  lean-to  houses 
against.  How  much  is  lost  by  this 
lack  of  forethought,  even  in  quite 
small  and  simple  ranges,  will  be  at 
once  evident  on  referring  to  the 
photographs  of  such  ranges  in 
illustrations  Nos.  280  and  281.  Even 
where  there  is  only  one  simple  lean- 
to  house,  it  may  be  given  significance 
as  part  of  a  well-thought-out  scheme 
by  placing  it  centrally  across  the 
end  of  the  main  walk,  across  the 
middle  of  the  kitchen  garden,  and 
having  a  door  under  a  small  gable 
to  come  opposite  the  walk.  In 
larger  schemes,  the  main  span-roofed 
house  would  usually  come  end-on  in 
the  same  position  with  the  less  im- 
portant houses  arranged  symmetrically 
on  either  side,  as  in  illustration  No. 
275,  though  in  many  instances,  such 
as  that  shown  in  illustration  No. 
280,  an  absolutely  symmetrical 
arrangement  cannot  be  obtained  on 
account  of  local  conditions,  which 
demand  individual  treatment  ;  such 
enforced  variations,  if  intelligently 
dealt  with,  always  result  in  added 
charm  and  a  pleasing  individuality. 

One  of  the  most  important  considerations  in  the  planning  of  a  range  of  glasshouses 
is  the  placing  of  the  potting  shed  and  heating  chamber.  As  the  latter  must  be  sunk  deep 
enough  below  the  floor  level  of  the  glasshouses  to  allow  the  top  of  the  boiler  to  be  lower 
than  any  part  of  the  radiating  pipes,  it  is  usually  a  good  and  economical  arrangement 
to  allow  it  to  form  a  basement  story  to  the  former.*  This  arrangement  is  shown  in  a 
majority  of  the  designs  illustrated  in  this  work,  and  where  the  range  is  symmetrically 
planned,  the  potting  shed  and  heating  chamber  should  come  immediately  behind  the  main 
centre  house  with  a  door  between  it  and  the  former  giving  direct  communication. 

*  The  floor  of  the  heating  chamber  should  also  be  low  enough  to  allow  of  a  large  bucket  being  placed  under  the 
draw-off  cock,  which  is  fixed  at  the  lowest  part  of  the  boiler.     This  is  a  point  which  is  often  neglected. 


1.  PORCH. 

2.  LIVING  ROOM. 

3.  PARLOUR. 

4.  SCULLERY. 

5.  STAIRS. 

6.  YARD. 

7.  COKE  STORE. 

8.  COMPOST  BINS. 
Q.  STOVE  HOUSE. 


FIG.   279. 

10.  GREENHOUSE. 

11.  GARDEN  FRAMES. 

12.  KOOT   AND  SEED 

STORE. 

13.  FRUIT  STORE. 

14.  OPEN  SHED. 

i;.  POTTING  SHED 
WITH  HEATING 
CHAMBER  UNDER. 


1 6.  LATE   VINERY. 

17.  EARLY  VINERY. 

1 8.  CONSERVATORY. 

19.  EARLY     PEACH 

HOUSE. 

20.  LATE       PEACH 

HOUSE. 

21.  DIPPING  WELL. 

22.  VEGETABLE  BEDS 


The  plan- 
ning of  a 
range  of 
glasshouses. 


219 


CONSERVATORIES,    GREENHOUSES,    VINERIES    AND    FRUIT    HOUSES. 

Such  an  arrangement  is  not  only  economical  in  first  cost  but  has  several  great 
advantages  from  the  gardener's  point  of  view.  Three-quarters  of  his  work  will  centre 
round  the  potting  shed  and  heating  chamber,  so  that  to  have  these  one  over  the  other 
is  very  convenient,  and  the  door  between  the  former  and  the  glasshouses  will  allow  him 
to  remove  plants  from  one  to  the  other  without  exposure  to  the  weather.  No  fumes 
from  the  heating  chamber  will  reach  the  glasshouse  by  this  door,  for  the  former  will 
be  approached  by  an  outside  staircase  and  not  have  any  direct  communication  with  the 
potting  shed.  All  that  is  necessary  is  that  the  staircase  to  the  heating  chamber  shall 
be  conveniently  placed  in  relation  to  a  door  from  the  potting  shed,  communicating  with 
the  space  at  the  rear  of  the  range.  Again,  such  an  arrangement  allows  of  a  very 
convenient  planning  of  the  hot-water  pipes.  In  the  first  place  it  renders  the  construction 
of  culverts  through  which  to  carry  the  pipes  from  the  boiler  to  the  range,  or  from  one 
house  to  another,  quite  unnecessary,  and  this  is  always  to  be  avoided  as,  however  care- 
fully the  pipes  are  swathed  in  heat-conserving  material,  there  is  always  more  or  less 
loss,  varying  with  the  length  of  the  culvert  and  other  conditions  such  as  the  material 
with  which  the  pipes  are  packed  and  the  possibility  of  keeping  it  dry.  Again  a  further 
advantage  lies  in  the  fact  that,  in  such  an  arrangement,  the  hot  water  pipes  will  go 
right  and  left  from  the  boiler  in  two  separate  circulatory  systems,  so  that  during  those 
portions  of  the  year  when  few  houses  will  need  heat,  it  is  possible  entirely  to  cut  off 
half  the  pipes  at  a  main  valve,  and  heat  the  rest  with  a  small  and  economical  fire.  It 
also  allows  of  the  houses  which  require  most  heat  being  placed  nearer  the  centre  of  the 
range,  and  consequently  nearer  the  boiler  than  those  which  require  less.  Thus  the  early 
vinery  might  come  first  with  the  late  vinery  beyond  and  the  early  and  late  peach-houses 
after  them  in  the  same  order,  as  the  last  of  these  would  require  very  little  or  no  heat- 
ing. The  stove  house  would,  of  course,  come  nearest  of  all,  as  it  requires  the  fiercest 
heat. 

Where  the  plan  of  a  range  is  necessarily  L  shaped  as  in  illustration  No.  298,  a 
good  place  to  put  the  potting  shed  is  in  the  angle,  as  otherwise  there  is  necessarily  a 
small  square  house  at  this  point  which,  being  shut  in  on  all  sides,  is  suitable  only  for 
a  fernery  and,  unless  this  class  of  house  is  wanted,  as  in  the  instance  shown,  the  space 
is  more  or  less  wasted. 

Hot  water  jn  ^e    now    amiost   universally   adopted    low-pressure    hot-water    system    of    heating, 

the  hot  water  from  the  boiler  is  caused  to  circulate  through  the  pipes  by  utilizing  the 
natural  law  which  ordains  that,  if  one  part  of  the  water  in  the  system  is  hotter  than 
another,  it  will  rise  to  the  top.  Thus  the  water  is  heated  in  the  boiler  and  finds  its 
way  into  the  pipe  known  as  the  "  main  flow,"  which  starts  from  the  top  of  the  boiler 
and,  rising  as  it  goes,  gradually  travels  to  the  highest  and  most  distant  point  in  the 
system.  Being  cooled  as  it  goes,  it  then  returns  to  the  boiler  by  means  of  the  "  main 
return,"  which  joins  the  latter  at  the  bottom.  It  thus  follows  that,  to  ensure  good 
results,  the  rise  in  the  pipes  from  the  boiler  to  the  extremity  of  the  system,  should  be 
continuous  and  even.  To  make  this  possible,  the  main  pipes  are  usually  placed  in  a 
trench  under  the  glasshouse  floor,  as  otherwise  they  would  come  across  the  doorways, 
and  could  not  be  run  through  even  the  shortest  trench  between  the  main  block  and  an 
outlying  house  or  hot  frame.  The  radiating  pipes  are  then  connected  to  the  mains  at 
convenient  points  and  furnished  with  screw-down  valves.  There  are  two  means  of 
doing  this  known  respectively  as  connection  "  in  series  "  and  "  in  parallel."  In  the 
former  case  both  ends  of  the  branch  are  connected  to  the  same  main,  with  a  stop- 
cock on  the  main  between  the  two  connections,  while  in  the  latter,  which  is  by  far  the 
better  way  for  horticultural  work,  the  flow  of  the  radiating  system  is  taken  from  the 
main  flow,  and  the  return  pipe  to  the  main  return.  The  former  method,  which  is 
more  suited  to  the  heating  of  domestic  buildings,  is  sometimes  advocated  for  horticultural 

220 


CONSERVATORIES,    GREENHOUSES,    VINERIES    AND    FRUIT    HOUSES. 

work  on  the  ground  that  the  radiating  pipes  nearest  the  boiler  will,  if  connected  in 
parallel,  monopolize  most  of  the  heat;  but  this  is  easily  remedied  by  a  little  adjustment 
of  the  screw-down  valves.  In  any  case,  the  mains  should  always  be  run  under  the 
houses  and  not  outside  in  culverts,  as  then  any  escape  of  heat  is  utilized  and  simply 
supplements  the  action  of  the  radiating  pipes. 

The  amount  of  piping  which  is  required  in  each  house   will  of  course  depend  on  the 
use   to   which  it   is   put,  but   the    situation,    whether   exposed   or   sheltered,   is   also   a   con- 
trolling  factor.       For   general    use,   however,   the  following   Table,   extracted   from  "  Fowkes 
on    Heating,"    will    be    found    reliable  I—- 
Per  1,000   feet   of   cubic   contents. 

Greenhouses  and  conservatories  . .          . .          . .     35  to  40  feet  of  4-inch  pipe. 

Vineries 45  to  50 

Plant  stores  . .          . .         . .         . .         . .         ..     55  to  65 

Forcing  houses      . .          . .         . .         . .         . .         ..     60  to  70 

Peach  houses         ..          ..         ..         ..         ..         -.30  feet 

For  heating  anything  up  to  3,000  feet  of  four-inch  piping,  I  have  found  no  better  Boilers. 
boiler  than  the  old  "  Chatsworth,"  but  sectional  boilers  of  the  "  Ideal  "  type  are  growing 
in  favour,  as  they  can  be  ^used  equally  well  on  the  smallest  or  largest  installation,  and 
also  because,  in  case  of  accident,  the  injured  section  can  be  so  easily  replaced.  They 
are  self-contained  and  require  no  brickwork,  but  the  cost  of  either  is  about  the  same, 
as  what  is  saved  in  brickwork  is  spent  on  the  more  costly  boiler.  There  is  a  distinct 
advantage  in  having  the  firebars  in  the  form  of  tubes  through  which  the  water  circulates, 
as  the  fire  can  be  damped  down  in  the  evening,  and  will  smoulder  with  a  red  heart  next 
to  the  water  bars,  and  the  water  is  therefore  kept  hot  without  attention  until  the 
following  morning.  The  water-cooled  bars  also  do  not  deteriorate  or  need  constant  renewal 
like  the  old-fashioned  firebars,  which  never  last  very  long. 

Whatever  boiler  is  adopted,  however,  it  should  be  of  ample  size  and  power  for  the 
work  it  has  to  do,  as  it  is  far  more  economical  to  fire  a  large  boiler  slowly  than  to 
produce  the  same  heat  in  the  pipes  by  fiercely  stoking  a  smaller  apparatus.  Under 
ordinary  circumstances  the  writer  usually  advises  that  a  boiler  guaranteed  to  heat  one 
third  more  piping  than  the  maximum  load  it  is  to  be  subjected  to  should  be  adopted. 
At  some  time  or  other,  also,  one  of  the  houses  may  be  put  to  a  new  use  and  require 
more  piping,  which  can  be  added  very  cheaply  if  no  alterations  to  the  boiler  are  necessary. 

In  large  installations,  it  is  always  an  advantage  to  fix  two  smaller  rather  than  one 
large  boiler.  Not  only  does  this  prevent  disaster  should  one  boiler  be  under  repair 
in  severe  weather,  but  in  those  seasons  when  little  heat  is  required,  only  one  boiler  need 
be  fired  and  thus  a  working  economy  is  effected.  The  arrangement  of  one  main  flow 
and  two  returns  is  quite  good  practice  and  is  often  done,  but  a  greater  number  of  flows 
than  returns  would,  on  the  other  hand,  be  wrong. 

From  what  has  been  said,  it  will  be  abundantly  evident  that  the  two  problems  of 
planning  and  heating  a  range  of  glasshouses  are  interdependent  at  every  turn,  and  nothing 
can  be  arranged  with  regard  to  the  one  without  having  a  direct  influence  on  the  other,  and 
that,  by  the  exercise  of  care  and  forethought  in  these  two  departments,  great  economies  can 
be  effected  not  only  in  the  initial  expenditure  but  still  more  in  the  working  and  upkeep. 

There  is  yet  another  point  bearing  on  the  same  subject  and  that  is  the  design  and 
practical  requirements  of  the  various  classes  of  houses  required  for  different  purposes. 
Sections  of  glasshouses  showing  the  various  forms  are  given  in  illustrations  Nos.  282  to 
287  inclusive,  but  it  should  be  explained  that  the  constructional  details,  such  as  roof 
trusses  and  spandrils,  which  show  so  conspicuously  on  the  sections,  do  not  attain  the  same 
prominence  when  the  house  is  seen  from  the  ordinary  point  of  view. 


Design  of 

growing 

houses. 


221 


CONSERVATORIES,    GREENHOUSES,    VINERIES    AND    FRUIT    HOUSES. 


FIG.     280. — HERBACEOUS    BORDERS    AND    RANGE     OF     GLASS,     WYCH     CROSS,     SUSSEX 


FIG.     28l. — SMALL     RANGE     OF     GLASSHOUSES     AT     LEWISTON     MANOR. 


222 


CONSERVATORIES,    GREENHOUSES,    VINERIES    AND    FRUIT    HOUSES. 

Whatever  the  form  of  the  house,  however,  it  is  important  that  it  should  not  be 
made  higher  than  is  necessary,  so  as  to  limit  the  cubical  area  to  be  heated.  It  is 
admitted  by  the  most  capable  gardeners  that  glasshouses  are  usually  built  more  loftily 
than  is  necessary,  in  some  instances  so  much  so  as  to  make  successful  plant  growing 
impossible.  Probably  the  best  growers  in  this  country  are  those  who  supply  Covent 
Garden  Market,  whose  plant  and  fruit  houses  are  much  lower  than  those  usually  met 
with  in  private  establishments. 

Another  important  point  is  the  pitch  of  the  roof.  The  use  to  which  the  house  is 
to  be  put  will  largely  determine  this,  but,  where  there  is  much  choice,  four  other  factors 
should  be  considered.  The  first  of  these  is,  that  the  natter  the  pitch  is,  the  more  evenly 
the  heat  will  be  distributed,  while,  if  it  is  steep,  all  the  hot  air  will  accumulate  near  the 


LEAN  TO  VINERY 

FIG.     282. 


LEAN  TO  PEACH-HOUSE 


FIG.    283. 


VittCRY     WITH  BACK  LICHT 


FIG.    284. 


apex,  and  thus  a  flat  pitch  tends  to  sturdy  growth.  Again,  a  low  pitch  allows  of  all 
the  plants  being  brought  very  near  to  the  glass,  and  this  also  is  very  desirable  if  they 
are  not  to  run  away  in  long  bare  stalks.  A  third  consideration  is  that  by  making  the 
roof  steeper,  drip,  that  is  the  dropping  of  condensed  water  vapour  from  the  roof  on  to 
the  plants,  is  avoided  ;  while  the  fourth  and  most  important  consideration  of  all  is  to  find 
a  pitch  which  will  admit  the  most  light.  This  means  that  the  slope  of  the  roof  must 
be  about  at  right  angles  to  the  direction  in  which  the  rays  of  the  sun  will  strike  it 
at  the  time  of  the  year  when  sunlight  is  most  precious,  that  is,  in  the  Winter  months. 
At  the  worst  period  of  all,  the  sun's  altitude  is  only  fifteen  degrees,  which  would  of 
course  involve  an  impossibly  steep  roof ;  but  extreme  steepness  is  not  of  so  much  moment 
as  might  be  supposed,  for  if  the  sun's  rays  strike  the  glass  as  much  as  thirty  degrees 


FIG.    285. 


FIG.    286. 


FIG.    287. 


out  of  the  perpendicular,  the  loss  in  efficiency  is  only  2\  per  cent.  These  various 
factors,  if  considered  independently,  would  result  in  very  different  slopes,  and  it  is  there- 
fore a  case  for  compromise  and  adjustment.  This  process  coupled  with  experience  has 
resulted  in  most  span  houses,  such  as  those  shown  in  illustrations  Nos.  285,  286  and  287, 
being  constructed  with  a  pitch  of  twenty-six  degrees  from  the  horizontal,  which  gives  a 
rise  of  six  inches  in  every  foot  of  breadth,  while  the  lean-to  houses,  such  as  those  shown  in 
illustrations  Nos.  282,  283  and  284,  are  made  with  from  this  span  upwards  according  to 
the  use  to  which  they  are  to  be  put,  peach  houses  often  having  a  very  steep  pitch  indeed 
Gables  over  doorways,  the  principal  plant  houses  in  a  range  having  the  gable  end 
towards  the  spectator  as  he  views1  the  range  as  a  whole  (111.  No.  280),  and  conservatories, 


223 


CONSERVATORIES,    GREENHOUSES,  VINERIES    AND    FRUIT    HOUSES. 


Lean-to 
houses. 


Three- 
quarter 
span 
houses. 


Span- 
roofed 
houses. 


usually  have  their  roofs  square  pitched,  i.e.,  sloping  at  an  angle  of  forty-five  degrees  to 
the  horizontal.  Needless  to  say,  under  all  ordinary  circumstances,  the  whole  of  the  lean-to 
houses  in  a  continuous  range  should,  if  possible,  be  made  with  roofs  of  one  pitch. 

A  feature  common  to  all  classes  of  glasshouse  is  the  substructure  of  wood,  stone  or 
brick,  on  which  the  glass  structure  stands.  This  may  vary  from  a  dwarf  wall  only  a 
foot  high  from  the  ground  level  in  the  case  of  steep-pitched  peach  houses,  to  one  three 
feet  six  inches  or  even  four  feet  high.  Of  the  three  materials  mentioned,  brick  is  by 
far  the  best  if  built  in  good  strong  mortar,  as  it  gives  a  wall  of  a  convenient  thickness 
which  is  heat  retaining  and  has  a  surface  which  can  easily  be  kept  clean.  Most  stone 
walls  become  dirty  and  encourage  insect  pests,  some  friable  sandstones,  such  as  that 
used  so  extensively  in  South  Yorkshire,  being  particularly  bad,  while  wooden  substruc- 
tures should  never  be  used  unless  it  is  absolutely  necessary  that  the  greenhouse  should 
be  so  constructed  as  to  form  a  tenant's  fixture,  as  such  walls  allow  heat  to  escape 
rapidly,  need  constant  repainting,  and  are  liable  to  rot  away  at  the  ground  level. 

The  simplest  form  of  glasshouse  possible,  as  distinct  from  frames  and  pits,  is  the 
lean-to  house,  in  which  the  roof  rises  directly  from  the  wall  in  front  without  any  glazed 
front,  or  "  front  lights "  as  they  are  called.  Such  houses  used  to  be  common  for 
plant  stores  or  vineries,  but  very  few  are  being  erected  nowadays,  and,  under  ordinary 
circumstances,  the  writer  would  never  advise  their  adoption  as  the  extra  cost  of  a  glass 
front  is  always  so  small  compared  with  the  vast  improvement  it  makes  in  the  house  both 
practically  and  in  appearance.  There  is,  however,  a  form  of  peach  cover  or  late  peach 
house  which  is  very  similar  in  appearance  to  a  lean-to  house  without  front  lights,  and 
which  may  be  erected  with  advantage  in  the  South  of  England  where  the  summer  days 
are  hottest.  In  such  houses  the  roof  consists  of  a  series  of  loose  glazed  frames  each 
long  enough  to  form  a  complete  cover  for  a  section  of  the  roof  from  eaves  to  apex, 
and  which  can  be  removed  at  pleasure,  leaving  the  whole  of  the  interior,  with  its  fruit 
bushes,  open  to  the  hot  sun  and  air  of  a  sultry  Summer  day. 

Illustrations  Nos.  282  and  283  show  sections  through  the  better  sort  of  lean-to  houses, 
the  dotted  lines  indicating  how  the  ventilators  in  the  front  and  top  open,  thus  providing 
through  ventilation.  This  provision  of  both  inlet  and  exit  ventilators  is  an  important 
point  and  must  be  so  contrived  that  the  cold  air  entering  comes  into  contact  with  the 
radiating  pipes  before  it  reaches  the  foliage  or  fruit.  All  the  sections  given  illustrate 
how  this  is  done,  the  small  circles  representing  radiating  pipes  seen  in  section  and  so 
placed  as  to  meet  the  incoming  air. 

Illustration  No.  284  shows  what  is  practically  a  variation  of  the  ordinary  lean-to 
house,  known  as  a  "  three-quarter  span  house."  It  has  the  practical  advantage  of 
allowing  of  ventilators  on  each  side  of  the  ridge  so  that,  whichever  way  the  wind  is 
blowing,  one  or  the  other  will  be  sheltered  from  it,  and  also  gives  the  range  of  glass  a 
better  appearance  by  allowing  of  a  broad  house  which  is  not  so  much  higher  than  the 
lean-to  houses  on  either  side  as  to  spoil  their  appearance,  and  at  the  same  time,  does 
not  necessitate  such  an  exceptionally  high  back  wall  as  a  lean-to  house  would. 

The  remaining  usual  form  of  glasshouse  is  the  span-roofed  house,  which  is  shown  in 
section  in  illustrations  Nos.  285,  286  and  287.  For  market  gardening  purposes  the}^  are 
often  built  without  front  lights  in  the  manner  described  for  the  simplest  form  of  lean-to 
house,  but  in  a  garden  this  is  hardly  ever  done,  as  it  would  prevent  the  flowers  being 
seen  from  without  the  house,  which  is  always  desirable.  As  will  be  seen  from  the 
illustrations  they  have  ventilators  in  both  side  walls  and  both  sides  of  the  ridge,  but  the 
piping  is  not,  in  the  instances  shown,  carried  so  as  to  intercept  the  air  coming  through  the 
former  as  in  the  case  of  the  lean-to  houses  already  described,  as  they  would  then  be  very 
much  in  the  way.  Instead  of  this,  they  are  placed  under  the  staging  close  to  box 
ventilators  in  the  brick  substructure.  These  box  ventilators  are  openings  in  the  wall 


224 


CONSERVATORIES,   GREENHOUSES,   VINERIES   AND   FRUIT   HOUSES. 

usually  about  eighteen  inches  long  by  nine  inches  deep,  fitted  with  a  hinged  lid  or  shutter 
which  can  be  partly  or  widely  opened  according  to  the  amount  of  fresh  air  desired.  In 
the  forcing  house  (111.  No.  287)  even  this  arrangement  is  not  possible. 

Besides  these  main  distinctions  in  the  design  of  the  three  chief  forms  of  glasshouses,  Internal 
there  are  sundry  others,  which  are  adapted  by  their  internal  fittings  to  various  fittings. 
uses.  In  the  case  of  vineries,  the  front  wall  of  the  substructure  is  very  often 
built  in  the  form  of  arches  just  below  the  ground  level  and  resting  on  piers  so  that 
the  roots  of  the  vines  may  have  room  to  grow  outwards  as  well  as  inwards,  as  shown 
on  illustrations  Nos.  282  and  284.  Many  gardeners  object  to  this  arrangement  on  the 
score  that  it  is  a  wrong  principle  which  entails  having  part  of  the  roots  of  the  same 
plant  growing  in  a  hot  house  and  part  in  the  open,  but  they  forget  that  the  transition 
from  hot  to  cold  in  a  thick  bank  of  soil  and  compost  will  be  very  gradual,  and  may 
in  fact  be  almost  prevented  by  arranging  heating  pipes  at  the  bottom  of  the  bed,  as 
shown  in  the  sections  just  referred  to. 

The  vines  themselves  are  trained  over  wires  strained  parallel  to  the  under  side  of 
the  roof  and  about  nine  inches  from  it.  These  wires  are  sometimes  placed  so  as  to  run  from 
the  apex  to  the  eaves  and  sometimes  horizontally.  The  latter  is  far  the  best  way  as 
it  allows  each  vine  to  be  tied  to  a  number  of  them  so  that,  in  case  one  breaks,  the 
vine  is  held  by  the  others  while  it  is  replaced. 

The  peach  house  is  fitted  with  a  wire  trellis  with  galvanized  iron  framing,  which 
is  usually  curved,  as  shown  by  the  double  line  on  illustration  No.  283,  and  rests  on  brick 
pillars  passing  through  the  soil  bed  inside  the  house. 

A  section  through  a  stove  house  is  given  in  illustration  No!  287,  which  shows  the 
arrangement  of  pipes  under  the  bed  which  is  contained  in  a  kind  of  trough  with  brick 
sides  and  a  slate  bottom. 

Other   houses  usually   require   staging,  which   may   be   of    slate,    wood   or   iron.       Iron     Staging. 
staging     is    formed    by    placing    narrow     corrugated    iron    on    an    L-iron     framing,    which 
is   supported   on  iron   legs,    of  which   the   neatest   kind   which   the   Author   has   yet   seen  is 
that    shown   in   illustration   No.    288.      The    corrugated   iron   used    has   narrow   corrugations 
and  is   a  very  neat  material,  not  to  be  confounded  with  that  of  which  cheap  buildings  are 


constructed.  It  is  usually  covered 
chippings,  which,  however,  do  not  look 
Slate  staging  is  much  the  same 
corrugated  iron.  For  most  purposes 
as  it  tends  to  counteract  the  effect  of 
remaining  form  of  staging,  and  pro- 
of wood  battens  about  three  inches 
apart,  on  a  wooden  framework  and 
by  two  inches  material.  It  is  not 
ceding  forms,  but  is  a  little  cheaper 
people.  It  lends  itself  particularly  to 


FIG.    2 


with  fine,  even  pebbles,  or  by  spar 
so  well. 

thing  with  slates  used  instead  of  the 
this  makes  the  best  possible  staging 
sudden  changes  of  temperature.  The 
bably  the  most  usual  of  all,  is  formed 
broad  and  one  inch  thick  and  an  inch 
supports  made  out  of  three  inches 
practically  so  good  as  the  two  pre- 
and  its  appearance  is  preferred  by  some 


the  arrangement  of  plants  in  tiers  in 
the  centre  of  a  plant  house  or  conservatory,  or  against  the  back  wall  of  a  lean-to 
house.  It  can  also  be  more  easily  constructed  so  as  to  be  removable,  in  order  to 
allow  chrysanthemums  or  other  large  plants  to  be  displayed  on  the  floor. 

The  height  of  staging  placed  against  the  front  wall  of  a  glasshouse  should  preferably 
not  exceed  twenty-seven  inches,  and  the  plants  will  look  better  from  the  outside  of  the 
house  if  its  surface  is  nine  inches  below  the  bottom  edge  of  the  glass,  so  that  the  pots 
are  hidden.  Staging  in  the  middle  of  a  plant  house  or  conservatory  is  often  used  for 
tree  ferns,  palms,  camellias,  or  large  plants  growing  in  heavy  pots  or  tubs,  and  must 
therefore  be  strong ;  a  good  staging  for  such  plants  is  formed  of  sawn  flag  tabling 
resting  on  stone  or  brick  piers. 


225 


CONSERVATORIES,    GREENHOUSES,    VINERIES    AND    FRUIT    HOUSES. 


Paving. 


Soil  beds. 


Opening 
gear. 


Pits  and 
frames. 


Design  of 

potting 

shed. 


Heating 
chamber. 


The  best  pavement  for  almost  any  glasshouse  is  formed  of  Yorkshire  flags,  "  quarries  " 
or  red  tiles  already  advocated  for  conservatories.  Brick  on  edge  laid  in  cement  or  sand 
can  also  be  used  where  really  hard  and  virtreous  stocks  of  a  nice  warm  colour  can  be 
obtained.  Cement  floors  or  wood  gratings  are  apt  to  get  rather  mossy  and  slippery. 

In  a  large  plant  house  or  conservatory,  soil  beds  are  often  formed  in  the  centre  of 
the  paving.  These  beds  should  be  edged  preferably  with  stone  edging  like  that  shown  in 
illustration  No.  306  for  outside  flower  beds,  but  bricks  or  terra  cotta  moulded  to  a 
simple  pattern  may  be  used.  Whatever  the  material  adopted  the  moulding  should  be 
simple  and  unobtrusive  and  sufficiently  high  to  retain  the  soil  some  four  or  six  inches 
above  the  floor  level,  well  fixed  in  position  by  cement  or  dowels  on  a  concrete  or  brick 
foundation.  Where  required,  the  kerb  may  be  of  a  pattern  into  which  the  standards 
for  the  staging  may  be  fixed. 

There  is  one  constructional  item  omitted  from  the  sections  for  the  sake  of  clearness. 
This  is  the  opening  gear  by  means  of  which  the  whole  of  a  series  of  ventilating  lights 
are  opened  at  one  operation.  Generally  speaking,  the  top  ventilators,  i.e.,  those  in  the 
roof,  are  opened  by  revolving  gearing  operated  by  a  crank  fixed  to  the  back  wall  or  the 
end  framing  in  a  convenient  position,  while  the  front  lights  are  moved  by  a  simple 
lever.  The  latter  are  often  a  heavy  load  to  raise  all  at  once  if  hung  from  the  top 
edge,  but  by  hanging  them  on  pivot  hinges  about  two-thirds  of  the  way  up  the 
framing,  so  that  the  top  edge  of  the  frame  drops  inwards  as  the  bottom  edge  rises, 
they  can  be  opened  and  closed  with  ease. 

Whether  the  range  of  glasshouses  is  large  or  small,  it  is  usually  necessary  to  have 
a  few  good  pits  and  frames.  The  difference  between  these  is  that,  whereas  the  former 
have  brick  sides  and  are  fixtures,  the  latter  are  made  entirely  of  wood  and  are  usually 
portable.  They  may  be  so  planned  and  placed  as  to  form  an  integral  portion  of  the 
design  for  the  range  of  glass  and  may  be  heated  by,  say,  one  three-inch  radiating  pipe 
run  all  round  each  in  order  to  keep  out  the  frost.  The  point  most  often  neglected  in 
their  construction  is  the  efficient  exclusion  of  rain-water  along  the  ridge  where  the  two 
removable  lights  meet.  The  capping  to  do  this  needs  a  little  ingenuity  in  its  arrangement 
to  prevent  its  coming  in  the  way  when  the  lights  are  turned  back,  but  there  are  several 
good  contrivances  on  the  market  to  effect  this. 

We  have  already  spoken  of  the  placing  of  the  potting  shed.  Its  interior  fittings 
usually  consist  of  a  broad  bench  with  bins  below  to  hold  various  composts,  sand,  loam, 
etc.,  and  a  little  hob  grate  with  a  small  oven  in  which  occasional  labourers  may 
warm  their  food.  In  other  cases  the  shed  is  comfortably  heated  by  means  of  a  small 
radiator  connected  to  the  heating  apparatus.  The  floor  should  be  of  solid  concrete 
as  the  fumes  from  the  heating  chamber  below  would  otherwise  make  the  interior 
unbearable,  and,  in  building  it,  pieces  of  wood  four  and  a  half  inches  broad  and  three 
inches  thick,  should  be  built  into  the  walls  on  the  inside  about  five  feet  six  inches 
from  the  floor,  to  fix  hooks,  drive  nails,  or  screw  shelves  to. 

The  heating  chamber  must  be  of  ample  size  to  allow  the  person  stoking  the  fire  to 
use  his  long  stoking  irons,  and  iron  brackets  to  hold  the  latter  are  fixed  to  the  wall. 
There  must  also  be  a  recess  for  fuel  conveniently  placed  for  stoking  and  with  a  shoot 
above.  Probably  the  ideal  arrangement  would  be  two  separate  shoots,  one  for  coal 
and  one  for  coke,  but  only  one  is  usual. 

The  doors  from  the  potting  shed  and  heating  chamber  should  open  on  the  space 
at  the  back  of  the  wall  which  supports  the  lean-to  houses,  and  this  is  a  convenient 
place  for  the  provision  of  a  piece  of  open  ground  for  storing  composts,  turf,  leaf  mould, 
flower  pots,  barrows,  tools,  etc.,  and  for  the  latter  and  lawn  mowers,  a  shed  may  be 
built  against  the  high  brick  walls.  Ready  access  by  carts  bringing  fuel,  manure,  etc., 
is  of  course  a  sine  qua  non. 


226 


CONSERVATORIES,    GREENHOUSES,    VINERIES    AND    FRUIT    HOUSES. 

This  compost   ground   is   usually   an   ugly   place   and  the   sheds   against   the   back   wall     Compost 
of   the   range   of  glass  are  hideous,  but   there   is   no   reason   whatever  why   this    should  be     ground. 
so.       If   they   are   made    with   a   solid    wooden    framing    treated    with    Stockholm    tar    and 
roofed    with    pan   tiles    of   a   nice    colour,    the    latter   may  be   neat    and   agreeable   to   look 
upon,    while  the   provision   of   brickwork    bins   for   composts,   etc.,   will  keep  the  rest   tidy, 
and   a   neatly   clipped   hedge   with    a    pretty   gate  may   surround   the   whole. 

A    water    supply    throughout    the    range    is    important.      In    each    house    there   should     Water 
be   a   tank   of   galvanized   iron   placed   under   the   staging   for   dipping    watering   cans   into,     suPPh'- 


FIG.    289. — RANGE    OF    GLASSHOUSES,    AT    HOLEHIRD,    WIN'DERMERE. 

and  kept  filled  by  a  ball  valve.  This  is  far  better  than  drawing  from  the  tap  direct, 
as  the  water  standing  in  the  tank  has  the  chill  taken  off  it  before  use.  There  should, 
however,  also  be  a  stand-pipe  in  each  house  to  connect  the  hose  to  for  floor  washing, 
etc.  The  same  supply  would  also,  of  course,  be  laid  on  to  the  supply  cistern  of  the 
heating  apparatus,  and  a  tap  over  a  little  stoneware  sink  in  the  potting  shed  is  also 
very  useful. 

In  the   accompanying  illustrations   are   shown   plans   and   examples  of   ranges   of  glass 
varying   in   capacity   and   design,    to   accompany   garden    projects  of   corresponding  extent. 


RflNCL  OF  PLANT 
HOUSES  &  VINERIES 
IN 


T        E       BRACE 


WALK 


FIG.    290. 

The  first  (111.  No.  298)  is  a  complete  and  self-contained  scheme  at  Wych  Cross 
Place,  Sussex,  designed  and  carried  out  for  Douglas  W.  Freshfield,  Esq.,  as  was  every- 
thing on  this  estate,  in  a  complete  and  consummate  manner,  in  conjunction  with  the 
gardener's  cottage  and  the  bothy.  The  sense  of  unity  and  compactness  observed  here  is 
not  always  attainable  in  remodelling  existing  grounds,  and  is  often  lacking  even  in  new 
estates,  where  disconnectedness  and  diffusion  are  inexcusable.  The  noticeable  points  in  this 
scheme,  which  gives  the  principle  which  should  always  be  kept  in  view,  is  the  centralized 
position  of  the  heating  chamber,  thus  obviating  waste  of  heat,  and  the  ease  with  which 
the  head  gardener  can  supervise  everything  at  any  hour  of  the  day  or  night. 


Examples 
of  ranges 
of  glass. 


227 


CONSERVATORIES,    GREENHOUSES,    VINERIES    AND    FRUIT    HOUSES. 


.c-J          -       j  .<   •          OF.~     £Ht> 

XA,I 


FIG.     291. — RANGE     OF     GLASSHOUSES     AT     HOLEHIRD,     WINDERMERE. 


PLANT  HOU5E 
CONSERVATORY 
f,  GREENHOUSE 


PLAN 


FIG.    292. 


228 


CONSERVATORIES,    GREENHOUSES,    VINERIES    AND    FRUIT    HOUSES. 

The  second  example  (illustrations  Nos.  289  and  291)  shows  additions  to  some  fruit 
houses  at  Holehird,  Windermere.  It  may  be  noted  that  the  old  portion  consisted  of 
early  and  late  vineries,  with  a  plant  house  in  the  centre  and  a  peach  house  at  each  end, 
the  remaining  houses  shown  being  added  from  designs  by  the  Author,  thus  welding  old 
and  new  into  a  self-contained  range.  The  centre  house  was  pulled  down,  and  also  one 
of  the  peach  houses  ;  the  potting  shed  and  the  heating  chamber,  although  considerably 
enlarged,  occupy  the  same  position  as  before  the  alterations  ;  the  remainder  of  the  work 
is  all  new.  In  planning  these  new  orchid  and  plant  houses,  the  limits  were  fixed  by 
the  walks  shown  on  the  plan,  and  the  position  of  the  retaining  wall  surrounding  them. 
The  proprietor  wished  to  be  able  to  go  the  round  of  the  entire  range  without  leaving 
the  shelter  of  the  glass,  an  object  which  the  allotted  space  somewhat  favoured  :  the 
only  obstacle  being  that  one  of  the  outside  vine  borders  had  partially  to  be  cut  away. 
This  was,  however,  in  a  measure  compensated  for  by  the  improvement  made  to  the 
inside  borders. 


FIG.  293. — RANGE  OF  GLASSHOUSES  AT    THE  FLAGSTAFF,    COLWYN  BAY. 


Entering  by  way  of  the  potting  shed  built  on  the  North  side,  an  ample  gravelled 
space  is  provided  for  carts,  etc.  ;  to  the  left,  which  is  slightly  higher  ground,  is  arranged 
the  frame  and  standing  ground,  with  the  gardener's  bothy  placed  against  the  North  wall 
of  the  kitchen  garden.  To  the  right  and  left  of  the  potting  shed  are  stores,  office, 
heating  chamber,  shed  for  tools,  ladders,  and  compost  heaps. 

The  heating  mains  are  carried  through  the  potting  shed,  the  stores  and  office,  to 
right  and  left  of  the  boilers,  thus  making  these  rooms  comfortable  to  work  in.  The 
heating  of  all  the  houses  is  so  adjusted  that  the  temperature  of  each  can  be  regulated  to 
the  niceties  required  for  orchids  or  other  purposes. 

In  designing  the  elevations,  it  was  necessary  that  strict  attention  should  be  given 
to  the  habits  and  requirements  of  the  plants  to  be  grown  in  the  different  houses,  but,  by 
care  in  grouping  and  in  detailing  the  cornices,  it  was  found  possible  to  obtain  compact- 
ness and  simplicity  without  sacrificing  appearance. 


229 


CONSERVATORIES,    GREENHOUSES,    VINERIES    AND    FRUIT    HOUSES. 


The  perspective  view  (111.  No.  293)  shows  a  range  of  glass  erected  at  The  Flagstaff, 
Colwyn  Bay,  North  Wales,  consisting  of  potting  shed  with  heating  chamber  under,  a 
corridor  and  room  in  which  to  pack  flowers  and  fruit,  palm  house  (18  feet  by  17  feet), 
early  muscat  house  (27  feet  by  16  feet),  late  vinery  (27  feet  by  16  feet),  and  plant  house 
(24  feet  by  16  feet).  All  these  glasshouses  face  due  South.  Against  the  wall  connecting 
the  lodge  and  the  potting  shed  are  erected  early  and  late  peach  houses,  and  projecting 
from  this  are  two  span-roofed  houses  used  for  propagating  and  melon  growing. 

The  fourth  example  given  (111.  No.  290)  shows  a  small  but  useful  range  of  glass, 
designed  in  connection  with  a  formal  garden  for  a  Lancashire  client,  consisting  of  a 
plant  house  which  can  be  used  as  a  conservatory  for  the  display  of  chrysanthemums  or 
other  flowers  in  bloom,  a  vinery,  which  is  divided  into  two  compartments,  one  for 
Black  Hamburgs  and  the  other  for  Black  Alicantes  and  Lady  Downe  Seedlings,  and,  at 
the  end  of  the  vinery,  a  plant  house  and  stove,  each  12  feet  wide.  Like  the  first 
range  of  glass  described,  the  whole  of  these  houses  are  in  direct  connection  with  the 
potting  shed. 

The  fifth  example  (111.  No.  292)  represents  glass  houses  on  a  small  scale,  erected 
at  Windermere.  Here  there  is  a  conservatory  in  the  centre,  a  small  stove  at  one  end, 
and  greenhouse  at  the  other.  The  chimney  in  this  case  was  not  permitted  to  be  near 
the  house  ;  in  preference,  therefore,  to  carrying  the  pipes  in  trenches,  it  was  considered 
more  economical  to  place  the  boiler  near  its  work  at  the  end  of  the  stove,  conducting 
the  smoke  through  an  underground  flue  to  a  chimney  over  the  potting  shed  some 
forty  feet  distant.  The  stoke-hole  is  completely  hidden  by  placing  over  it  a  span- 
roof  pit,  which,  being  visible  from  almost  every  portion  of  the  grounds,  was  made 
rather  more  ornamental  than  is  usual.  Illustration  No.  281  shows  a  very  similar 
range  which  embodies  in  its  design  some  of  the  best  features  of  the  pre-Victorian 
glasshouse. 

The  last  illustration  (111.  No.  294)  is  of  a  very  simple  little  greenhouse,  calculated 
to  give  pleasure  to  amateurs  and  ladies  interested  in  gardening.  Essentially  a  "growing 
house,"  it  is  suitable  for  almost  any  class  of  plants ;  the  requisite  amount  of  piping  is 

provided.  Where  there  are  no 
other  glass  erections,  the  wisest 
plan  is  to  use  it  as  a  cool  house. 
It  is  attached  to  a  potting 
shed  and  tool  house  containing 
a  potting  bench,  the  heating 
chamber  being  under,  with  in- 
dependent boiler  and  extended 
hopper  feeder,  to  ensure  the  fire 

FIG.  294.  burning  for  a  long  time  without 

attention.     This  little  boiler  heats 

a  4-inch  flow  and  return  pipe  passing  round  the  greenhouse,  sufficient  to  keep  the 
temperature  at  45  deg.  during  the  Winter  months.  The  staging  is  4  feet  wide,  of 
fixed  lattice  on  one  side,  and  on  the  other  of  slate,  which  can  be  removed  to  allow 
chrysanthemums  being  placed  on  the  ground  during  the  period  of  blooming. 


230 


FIG.     295. — ESPALIERS    FOR    FRUIT    AND   -ROSES    IN    THE    KITCHEN    GARDEN,    DUNCHURCH     LODGE. 


, 


FIG.  296. — FRUIT  ESPALIERS  AT  FOOTS  CRAY  PLACE,  KENT. 


CHAPTER  XV. 


"  Oh  the  incredible  profit  by  digging  the  ground  ! 
for  though  it  be  confessed  that  the  plough  beats 
the  spade  out  of  distance  for  speed  (almost  as 
much  as  the  press  beats  the  pen),  yet  what  the 
spade  wants  in  the  quantity  of  the  ground  it 
manureth,  it  recompenseth  with  the  plenty  of 
the  fruit  it  yieldeth,  that  is  set  multiplying  a 
hundredfold  more  than  that  which  is  sown."  Fuller. 


It  will  be  remembered  that,  in  Chapter  III.,  where  we  followed  the  prospective 
owner  through  the  process  of  choosing  the  site  and  deciding  what  use  to  make  of  its 
various  parts,  the  first  portion  of  the  pleasure  grounds  to  receive  attention  and  to  have 
its  locality  and  size  determined  was  the  kitchen  garden. 

This  may  seem  to  be  an  inversion  of  the  natural  and  correct  order  of  things  to 
those  people  who  look  upon  the  kitchen  garden  and  orchard  as  purely  utilitarian 
departments  of  the  domain,  to  be  kept  out  of  sight  and  as  far  from  the  pleasure  grounds 
as  possible  ;  but  there  are  many  old  examples  throughout  the  country,  especially  in 
Scotland,  which  are  in  every  way  the  most  delightful  portions  of  the  grounds,  giving 
sheltered  walks  at  all  seasons  amidst  trees  and  plants  "  good  for  food  and  pleasant  to 
the  eye,"  imparting  variety  and  interest  perennially. 

To  the  "  soul  attuned  to  sympathy "  no  pleasure  exceeds  that  of  being  able  to 
wander  round  a  prim  walled-in  garden,  enjoying  the  fragrance  of  the  blossom  in  Spring, 
and  watching  the  setting  of  the  fruit  and  its  various  developments  through  the  succes- 
sive seasons  until  the  in-gathering.  To  remove  it  to  a  distant  and  inaccessible  site 
where  the  owners  and  their  guests  cannot  enjoy  this,  is  to  rob  them  of  a  source  of 
pleasure  and  instruction. 

But,  it  will  be  asked,  is  it  possible  to  make  the  kitchen  garden  a  successful  part 
of  the  pleasure  grounds,  and  give  it  aesthetic  value  without  impairing  its  usefulness,  and 
if  so,  what  are  the  materials  which  we  may  use  for  the  purpose-  with  appropriateness 
and  without  affectation  ?  The  answer  to  the  second  of  these  questions  also  supplies 
that  to  the  first.  We  have  one  great  asset  in  the  herbaceous  borders  which  that 
most  commendable  fashion  of  keeping  the  house  fresh  and  gay  with  large  quantities  of 
flowers,  renders  necessary,  the  espaliers  for  fruit  trees,  from  which  pleasant  vistas  may  be 
contrived,  fruit  walls  to  aid  the  aesthetic  effect  by  giving  an  enclosed  appearance,  pro- 
pagating and  other  glasshouses,  which,  as  we  have  shown  in  a  previous  chapter,  may 


The  placing 
of  the 
kitchen 
garden. 


/Esthetic 
possibilities 
of  the 
kitchen 
garden. 


233 


KITCHEN    GARDENS    AND    ORCHARDS. 


Aspect. 


Extent. 


be  made  to  heighten  the  effect,  dipping  wells  for  watering,  tool  sheds  and  fruit  rooms 
which  may  receive  appropriately  quaint  treatment,  walks  which  may  not  only  aid  in 
forming  vistas  but  may  have  their  surfaces  treated  in  an  attractive  manner,  and,  in 
fact,  there  seems  to  be  no  adjunct  to  the  garden  which  may  not  be  made  pleasant  to 
look  upon  either  from  its  design  or  placing,  or  both. 

These  considerations,  if  fully  understood  and  their  potentialities  grasped,  throw  an 
entirely  fresh  light  on  the  problem  of  the  placing,  design  and  internal  arrangement  of 
this  feature,  and,  if  made  the  most  of,  will  result  in  a  very  considerable  extension  of 
the  pleasure  grounds,  which,  as  it  is  formed  by  the  effective  arrangement  of  material 
that  it  will  be  necessary  to  supply  in  some  form  or  other,  may  be  considered  to 

be     obtained     without      any     added 
expense. 

Having  decided  that  the  con- 
struction of  the  kitchen  garden  as 
an  ornament  to  the  domain  is  not 
only  desirable  but  possible,  the  first 
question  to  be  settled  before  com- 
mencing its  construction  is- — where 
shall  it  be  placed  ?  The  determining 
factors  in  arriving  at  an  answer  are 
of  two  kinds,  practical  and  aesthetic, 
and  in  many  cases  they  will  more 
or  less  conflict  with  one  another,  and 
thus  the  result  will  be  a  compromise. 
In  those  happy  instances  where  the 
practical  requirements  are  met  under 
the  best  conditions,  there  can  be 
no  better  plan  than  that  adopted 
at  Wych  Cross  Place  in  Ashdown 
Forest  (111.  No.  280),  or  at  the 
"Flagstaff"  Colwyn  Bay  (111.  Nos. 
14  and  297),  and  again  in  the  plan 
of  Little  Onn  Hall  (111.  No.  405), 
in  all  of  which  instances  the  kitchen 
garden  has  been  so  placed  that  the 
principal  walk  gives  added  length 
and  more  pronounced  crosswise  per- 
spective to  the  main  terrace  walk 
in  front  of  the  house. 

Foremost  of  the  practical  considerations  is  that  of  aspect,  and  ground  which 
has  a  gentle  slope  to  the  South,  South-east,  or  South-west  is  best  being  sunniest. 
We  must  also  have  shelter  beyond  that  which  can  be  given  by  the  fruit  walls  either 
by  a  hill  rising  on  the  North  or  North-east  side,  or  better  still,  a  wood  of  well-grown 
trees  ;  and  a  good  soil,  which  however,  if  it  does  not  already  exist  may  usually  be 
produced  artificially.  As  to  the  extent  of  the  kitchen  garden,  with  the  improved 
railway  and  postal  facilities  which,  in  case  of  emergency,  will  nowadays  bring  fruit 
and  vegetables  from  the  nearest  town  in  a  few  hours,  it  is  no  longer  necessary  to 
lay  out  huge  vegetable  gardens  such  as  are  still  found  in  many  old  country  demesnes. 
For  a  moderate-sized  establishment,  an  acre  and  a  half  of  kitchen  garden  would  be 
sufficient,  independent  of  the  space  allotted  to  the  frame  ground  and  range  of  glass- 
houses, while,  for  a  small  establishment,  three-quarters  of  an  acre  of  cropping  ground 


FIG.     297. — CONNECTION    BETWEEN    PLEASURE   GROUNDS   AND 
KITCHEN    GARDEN,    "  THE    FLAGSTAFF,"    COLWYN    BAY. 


234 


KITCHEN    GARDENS    AND    ORCHARDS. 

will  be  found  to  meet  all  requirements.  It  should  be  understood,  however,  that  this 
area  will  not  allow  of  late  potatoes  nor  for  any  space  being  given  up  to  orchard  trees, 
espaliers  or  herbaceous  borders,  which  must  be  allowed  for  in  addition. 

After  aspect  and  size  comes  shape,  and  it  cannot  be  too  strongly  insisted  upon,  that  Shape. 
a  kitchen  garden,  in  which  the  primary  object  is  utility,  should  be  planned  with  a  view 
to  obtaining  the  largest  possible  cropping  area  within  the  least  fencing,  which  means 
that,  so  far  as  possible,  the  lines  of  the  walls  should  be  straight  and  at  right  angles  to 
one  another.  For  the  purpose  of  obtaining  ample  wall  space  for  fruit  trees,  a 
parallelogram  is  better  than  a  square,  in  the  proportion  of,  say,  one  hundred  and 
fifty  feet  to  one  hundred  in  breadth,  thus  securing  additional  length  of  wall  with  a 
South  aspect. 


KITCHEN 
GARDEN  AT 
WYCH -CROSS 
SUSSEX 

Sc*l*  Of 


*—. 


2    FRflMES 

5     STANDING    GROUND 

COTTACE 

15  BOTHY 

16  WORKMEN'S  MESS  ROOM.; 

17  OPEN  SHED 

18  POTTING  SHEO 

19  POTTING   SHED 


FIG.     298. 

Sometimes,  however,  owing  to  the  lines  of  existing  boundaries  or  the  division  of 
the  land  by  drives  or  estate  roads,  a  regular  shape  is  impossible,  and  occasionally  a 
kitchen  garden  may  with  advantage  be  of  unusual  shape,  as  when  it  is  modelled  to 
fit  a  site  with  curved  contour  lines  or  other  peculiarities.  Such  conditions  often  call 
for  great  ingenuity  on  the  part  of  the  landscape  architect,  who,  however,  feels  doubly 
rewarded  by  the  satisfactory  and  even  strikingly  original  results  which  often  follow  from 
the  solution  of  special  difficulties. 

Care   should   also   be   taken   to   select    a   position    which   admits   of   thorough   drainage,     Drainage. 
especially  when  the  site  chosen  is  in  a  valley  or  on  low-lying  land.       A  serious  mistake 
is  often  made  in  selecting  a  snug,  sheltered  position  in   the  bottom  of  a  valley,  because, 
in    such    positions,    Spring    frosts    are    most    troublesome  :    not    because    there    are    more 
degrees    of    frost   there   than    on   higher   ground — there    may    indeed    be    less — but   because 


235 


KITCHEN    GARDENS    AND    ORCHARDS. 

there  is  more  moisture  on  which  the  frost  can  act.  If  however  there  be  no  alternative 
it  will  be  necessary  to  drain  more  completely  ground  lying  in  a  hollow. 

Construe-  The  site  having  been  determined  upon  and  the   size  and  shape   pegged  out,   the  first 

tion.  step   in   the    formation   will  be    the    treatment,   enrichment,  draining    and    levelling    of   the 

ground,  which  should  be  undertaken  before  the  area  is  walled  in,  for  there  will  generally 
be  much  carting  or  wheeling  of  materials  and  composts  to  and  from  and  about  the 
ground,  which  is  better  and  more  conveniently  done  while  it  is  clear  on  all  sides. 
Where  draining  is  necessary  this  should  be  carried  out  first,  and  the  pipes  laid  deep 
enough  not  to  interfere  with  subsequent  operations,  or  become  choked  with  roots.  The 
principles  on  which  it  should  be  done  are  the  same  as  those  for  lawns  as  described  in 
Chapter  IX.,  and  their  application  is  well  illustrated  by  the  plan  of  a  kitchen  garden 
given  in  illustration  No.  298.  In  this  instance  the  ground  has  an  approximate  fall  of 
one  foot  in  twenty-eight  towards  the  house,  the  soil  being  deep  and  fairly  retentive.  As 


FIG.    299. — DOOR    IN    A    FRUIT    WALL. 


FIG.    3OO. — DOOR    IN    A    FRUIT   WALL. 


will  be  seen,  the  main  drains  follow  the  lines  of  the  paths.  They  consist  of  glazed 
stoneware  pipes  laid  with  open  joints,  and  the  land  drains  connected  to  these  are  about 
three  feet  deep,  and  in  rows  eighteen  feet  apart. 

Where  the  ground  is  very  uneven,  it  will  be  necessary  to  grade  it  to  an  even  fall, 
if  not  over  the  entire  area  at  least  over  each  section  or  "  quarter "  of  the  garden  ; 
economic  cropping  and  upkeep  require  this.  Contractors  who  undertake  to  lay  out 
gardens  as  well  as  to  erect  the  house,  too  often  bring  the  subsoil  to  the  top,  which, 
though  a  commendable  way  of  treating  an  old  worn-out  garden,  is  a  mistaken  treatment 
for.  a  new  one,  where  the  most  fertile  soil  is  near  the  surface.  The  best  method  is 
to  overhand-trench  it,  i.e.,  to  make  two  trenches  instead  of  one,  throwing  the  top  spit 
on  to  the  second  trench  and  the  subsoil  on  to  the  near  one.  If,  to  secure  a  good 
gradient,  it  is  necessary  to  excavate  at  one  part  and  fill  at  another,  the  portion  removed 


236 


KITCHEN    GARDENS    AND    ORCHARDS. 

should  be  the  subsoil  from  the  bottom  of  the  trench,  and  not  the  fertile  top  soil,  and 
it  should  be  relaid  at  the  bottom  of  the  trench  on  the  lower  portion  of  the  ground 
which  it  is  intended  to  raise.  In  this  way,  the  good  soil  is  always  kept  to  the  top. 

Much    can    be    done    to    improve    a    poor    soil    by    draining    when    water-logged,    by     Improving 
incorporating   lime,    road   scrapings,  burned  ballast   or   sand   where  it   is   heavy   or  clayey,     the  S°H- 
by  the   use   of   clay    where   the   ground   is   sandy,    and   by   deep   and  careful  trenching   as 
described   above,   adding  to   the   soil   already   on   the   ground   that   taken   from  the  site  of 
the    house   when    house    and   garden    are   being   made    together,    also   that    from    the    new 
walks,  the  site  of   the  glasshouses   or  potting   sheds,    or   anywhere   it  can   be   spared.      To 
enrich   the  subsoil,  add   liberal  supplies   of  manure,  cow   manure  for   light  land  and   horse 
manure    for    heavy    land,    and    old    lime    and    screened    rubbish    from    old    buildings    for 
heavy   clay   or   peaty   land. 

For  convenience  in  working,  the  garden  should  be  divided  into  plots  or  "  quarters  " 
approximately  ninety  feet  long  by  sixty  broad.  The  length  should,  if  possible,  run 
East  and  West,  so  that  the  cropping  may  be  the  short  way  of  the  quarters.  This 
reduces  labour,  and  at  the  same  time  ensures  to  the  crops  the  greatest  amount  of 
sun. 

After  the  ground  formation  will  come  the  walls.  Brick  walls  are  undoubtedly  the  Fruit  walls. 
best,  but  where  stone  is  the  prevailing  building  material  of  the  district,  the  garden 
walls  will  look  more  becoming  in  the  latter  material.  Brick  is,  however,  the  best  con- 
structionally  for  it  allows  of  a  cavity  wall  which  will  give  greater  warmth  and  dryness 
and  so  help  the  ripening  of  the  fruit.  It  is  also  more  necessary  and  more  expensive 
to  wire  a  stone  than  a  brick  wall  as  brick  facilitates  nailing.  Both  stone  and  brick 
walls  should  be  cement  pointed,  as  otherwise  they  harbour  garden  pests,  and  where  the 
foundation  rests  on  clay,  either  wall  will  require  a  damp-proof  course,  placed  some  two 
or  three  brick  courses  above  the  ground  level.  For  training  the  fruit  trees  successfully 
it  is  desirable  that  the  walls  should  have  a  plain,  unbroken  face  on  the  side  facing  the 
kitchen  garden,  but,  on  the  other  side  facing  the  pleasure  grounds,  the  appearance  is 
improved  by  introducing  such  features  as  pilasters,  or  buttresses,  to  harmonize  with  the 
terrace  walls  or  other  adjacent  structures,  and  it  is  even  possible,  of  course,  to  build 
the  wall  so  as  to  show  a  brick  surface  on  the  inside  and  stone 
on  the  outside,  while  in  a  district  where  large  flints  abound,  the 
outside  might  be  built  in  the  flint  work  which  looks  so  quaint  in 
old  country  churches,  with  piers  of  roughly  squared  stone  or  brick. 

The  doorways,   especially   those  leading  to   the  pleasure  grounds  Doorways. 

and  house,  should  receive  careful  treatment.  Suitable  arrangements 
will  be  found  in  illustrations  Nos.  299  and  300,  while  for  certain 
positions,  such  a  quaint  little  gate-house  as  that  shown  in  illustration 
No.  71  would  give  an  added  charm. 

The  heights  suitable  for  fruit  walls  vary  according  to  the  aspect 
and  the  amount  of  shade  they  will  throw  on  to  the  garden,  those 
on  the  North,  East  and  West  being  higher  than  that  to  the  South, 
the  North  side  of  which  would  face  the  garden.  The  North — that 
is  the  wall  with  a  Southern  aspect — might  be  twelve  or  fourteen 
feet  high,  the  West  and  East  walls,  nine  to  ten  feet,  and  the  South 
wall  seven  to  nine  feet  high.  Many  fruit  walls  are  only  nine  inches 
thick,  but  a  far  better  result  is  obtained  by  building  them  fifteen 
inches  thick,  and  hollow  for  at  least  the  first  two  feet  of  their  FRUIT  WALL 

height,    as     shown    on     the     accompanying    sketch     (111.     No.    301) .  FIG-  30I 

For  copings,  a  hard  flag-stone  two  and  a  half  to  three  inches  in 
thickness,  projecting  two  and  a  half  inches  on  each  side  of  the  wall  and  having  a 


237 


KITCHEN    GARDENS    AND    ORCHARDS. 


water-drip   groove    on    the   under   side  of  the  projection   (111.  No.   302) ,  does  just    as    well 
and  looks  much  neater  than  more  expensive  forms  of   coping.       Where  stone  is  costly,   a 


coping  similar  to  that  shown  in  the 
may  be  adopted,  consisting  of  bricks 
jecting  courses  of  tiles  or  slates,  and 
corbelling  out  brick  headers  under 
dentilled  course  would  add  very 
to  build  into  the  wall  under  the 
"  board  irons  "  on  which  boards  may 


FIG.  302. 


accompanying  sketch  (111.  No.  303) 
set  at  an  angle  and  resting  on  pro- 
f  if  additional  ornament  is  required, 
the  tile  courses  so  as  to  form  a 
little  to  the  cost.  It  is  advisable 
coping,  iron  brackets  known  as 
be  laid  as  a  protection  to  the  fruit 


FIG.  303. 


trees  in  the  Spring,  in  the  manner  shown  on  the  same  sketches.  The  irons  may  be  used 
later  on  to  fix  bird  netting. 

Wiring  The    ordinary    and    most    economical    method    of    wiring    a    wall    is    on    the    principle 

walls.  adopted    for    the    espalier    shown    in    illustration    No.    307.        The 

wires  should  be  placed  twelve  inches  apart,  commencing  eight 
inches  from  the  ground  and  one  and  a  half  inches  from  the  wall 
in  order  to  allow  the  fingers  to  pass  behind  the  branches  when 
tying  in.  The  necessary  eyelets  and  fasteners  for  end  straining 
bars  should  be  built  in  as  the  work  proceeds  ;  it  is  a  great  mistake 
to  break  into  the  completed  wall  in  order  to  insert  them. 

As  stated  in  the  previous  chapter,  when  not  provided  for  in 
a  separate  department,  the  vineries,  peach  houses  and  other  glass 
houses  are  generally  built  against  the  South  side  of  the  North 
wall,  which  ensures  the  greatest  amount  of  light  and  Sun,  but  they  may  also  be 
built  with  an  East  or  West  aspect,  and  this  is  often  the  most  economical  method 
of  treating  fruit  houses.  The  portions  of  the  walls  not  occupied  by  glasshouses  should 
be  used  for  choice  hardy  fruit  trees  of  varieties  suitable  for  the  aspect.  Thus, 
on  the  walls  facing  South,  peaches,  apricots,  Coe's  golden  drop  plum  and  the  better 
varieties  of  pears  and  apples  may  be  planted,  while  walls  having  a  Western  aspect  will 
grow  excellent  crops  of  apples,  pears  and  plums,  while  the  Eastern  aspect  will  grow 
choice  pears  and  plums.  The  Northern  side  of  the  North  or  South  walls  might  grow 
morella  cherries  and  red  currants.  It  would  be  impossible  to  give  here  lists  of  fruit 
trees  suited  to  all  localities  and  soils  ;  this  subject  in  itself  deserves,  and  moreover  has, 
volumes  devoted  to  it.  Unless  the  object  is  to  render  a  public  service  by  experiments, 
the  best  of  the  varieties  which  are  known  to  flourish  locally  should  be  planted.  Fan- 
shaped  wall  or  espalier  trees  should  be  planted  only  as  young  trees,  but  cordons  or 
candelabra  shapes  may  safely  be  obtained  in  fruiting  sizes,  especially  pears. 

Fruit  Fruit    borders    should    be    from    fifteen    to    eighteen    feet    wide    and,    for    the    sake    of 

borders.  symmetry,    the  same  width  from   each    wall.      They   require  careful   making,  especially  on 

heavy  lands,  where  the  whole  of  the  surface  soil  should  be  carefully  thrown  back  and 
a  layer  of  broken  stones,  bricks,  rubbish  or  burnt  clay  spread  over  the  ground  to  a 
depth  of  at  least  ten  inches,  the  ground  having  been  first  thoroughly  drained.  On 
the  top  of  this  rubbish,  a  layer  of  good  turf  from  an  old  pasture  should  be  spread  or, 
if  this  is  not  obtainable,  a  layer  of  half-rotted  stable  manure  ;  the  soil  may  then  be 
thrown  back  and  more  added  until  there  is  a  depth  of  at  least  two  feet  with  a  rise 
of  nine  inches  from  the  front  of  the  border  to  the  back.  These  borders  can  be  used 
for  the  earliest,  crops  of  vegetables  and  salads  or  for  strawberries. 

£-l!n  soils  which  do  not  lie  on  chalk  or  limestone,  old  mortar  or  wood  ashes  and  also 
a  sprinkling  of  crushed  bones,  should  form  a  fractional  part  of  the  compost  of  the  fruit 
border,  otherwise  stone  fruits  will  almost  certainly  fail. 

Planting  The    planting    of    the    trees    is    not    generally    conducted    with    the    care    it    demands. 

fruit  trees.       Not  only  is  insufficient   time   allowed    for  the   borders   to   consolidate  before   planting   but 


238 


KITCHEN    GARDENS    AND    ORCHARDS. 


FIG.     304. — A     BRICK-PAVED     KITCHEN     GARDEN     WALK. 


FIG      305. — CENTRAL     FEATURE     IN     THE     KITCHEN     GARDEN,     THORNTON     MANOR 

239 


KITCHEN    GARDENS    AND    ORCHARDS. 


FIG.    306. 


the  roots  are  put  in  too  deep  and  without  proper  arrangement.  Instead  of  this  they 
should  be  carefully  spread  out  at  the  top  of  the  border  and  the  soil  rounded  up  over 
them  to  a  depth  of  four  to  six  inches.  No  manure  should  be  placed  under  the  roots 
but  added  as  a  top  dressing  to  induce  surface  rooting.  In  stiff  clay  soils,  it  is  advisable 
to  lay  slates  or  tiles  under  the  brick  or  stone  drainage  to  prevent  the  penetration  of 
tap  roots  into  the  cold  subsoil. 

Paths.  \  The   paths   may   be   made   either   before   or   after   the  formation   and 

planting  of  the  fruit  borders,  according  to  the  amount  of   time  available 
before    the     planting     season,     for    nothing    must    be    allowed    to    delay 
the  latter  work   from   one  season  to   the  next.      Only   when  the    garden 
exceeds   four   acres   in    extent  will  it  be  found  necessary  to  make  a  cart 
road    through    it,     but     the    walks    should    vary    in    width    according    to 
their    use.      The    kitchen    garden    at     Dunchurch    Lodge    (111.    No.    295) 
presents  a   very  typical  example,  and   here   the   main    walks  were  made 
nine  feet   wide  and  the  minor  paths  six  feet,  widths  which  have  proved 
ample.      For  gardens    of    an   acre    in    extent    the    principal    path    might    be    as    little    as 
six   feet   six  inches   broad    and    the    minor   paths   only   five    feet.       In  the    kitchen   garden 
it    is    possible    to    adopt   a  form    of    walk    which    would    not    be    suitable    for    the   flower 
garden  or  terraces,    but    whatever    the    material    used,    it    is    very   important    that    they 
should    be    well    made    and    efficiently    drained    as    they    are    subjected    to    hard    wear, 
and   a   poorly    constructed    path   would    soon   be   cut  up   by   the   barrows.      A   very   good 
plan    and    one   which   can    be   made   to   look   very   effective  is   to  lay   a  narrow  band   of 
York  stone  flag   or   "  granolithic "   patent   stone   along  the  centre   of   the   path  on   which 
to  run  the  barrows  and  to  take,  also,   most  of  the  pedestrian  wear.       If,    on  either  side, 
this  strip  is  backed  up  by  cobble  paving  with  a  stone  edging  to  the  beds,  such  as  that 
shown   in    illustration    No.    306,     the     result    may    be    very    good,    and    has    the    further 
advantage  that,  after  a  shower,  when  the  flat  flags  are  very  wet  to  the  feet,  the  rounded 
surfaces  of   the  cobbles  lift  one  out  of  the   water,   which   runs  away   between   the   stones. 
The  gardener  may  object   to   the  latter  material  on  the  score  that  weeding  between  the 
cobbles  is  tiresome  work,  but  if  they  are  laid  in  cement,  no  weeds  will  grow,   while,  in 
other  cases,  an  occasional  sprinkling  of  boiling  water,  especially  if  a  little  weed-killer  is 
added,    will    completely    remedy    the    evil.      In    a    brick    district,    paving    in   red   bricks, 
such   as  that  shown  in  illustration    No.    304,   may  be  very  charming  if  intelligently  used, 
as  it   will  give   such  a  pleasant   colour   contrast    with   the   greenery,    an   advantage  shared 
with    red   shale   and    burnt   ballast,    which    latter  materials,    however,    have    a    troublesome 
way  of  picking   up  badly  after  a   frost,   that   is,   they  stick  to  the  boots  in  large  heavy 

masses,  leaving  holes  in  the  path 
at  every  step.  Even  tar  paving, 
which  makes  a  pretty  flower 
garden  almost  impossible,  may 
often  be  used  in  the  kitchen 
garden  with  success.  It  should 
not  be  used  where  the  area 
of  the  paths  is  exceptionally 
large,  however,  or  the.  emana- 
tions from  the  tar  may  have  a  deleterious  effect  of  the  neighbouring  plant  life. 

Edgings  to  All   the  remarks  as  to  stone,  brick  or  terra-cotta  edgings   for  walks  given   in  Chapter 

beds.  IX.    apply   equally    to    the  kitchen  garden,  but  whichever  of  these  is  adopted,  it  should 

be  laid  in  cement  so  that  it  may  not  be  disturbed  by  digging  operations.      Grass   is   not 

suitable   for   edging   ordinary   kitchen   garden    paths   unless   in    those   rare   instances   where 

it   can  be  laid  in   very  broad   strips,   but   it   may   be  used   where  herbaceous  borders   line 


FIG.  307. 


240 


FIG.    308. — ESPALIER    OF   IRON   THROUGHOUT. 


KITCHEN    GARDENS    AND    ORCHARDS. 

the  walk.  Occasionally  a  central  grass  walk  nine  to  twelve  feet  in  width,  flanked  by 
deep  herbaceous  borders  and  enclosed  by  yew  hedges,  secures  a  fine  connection  between 
the  pleasure  grounds  and  the  kitchen  gardens.  Such  paths  may  with  advantage  be  edged 

with  flat  stone 
flags,  as  in  illus- 
tration No.  155. 

A  proper  Water 
water  supply  for  supply. 
the  garden  is 
important  and, 
where  this  can- 
not be  obtained 
in  the  ordinary 
way,  large  cis- 
terns should  be 
supplied  for  the 
reception  of  the 

rainwater  collected  from  the  roofs  of  glasshouses  or  other  buildings.  However  the  water  be 
obtained,  it  is  much  better  if  exposed  to  the  sun  and  air  for  a  few  hours  before  use,  and 
this  is  best  done  by  the  provision  of  a  dipping  well,  such  as  has  already  been  described  Dipping 
when  speaking  of  fountains.  In  most  gardens,  the  best  way  is  to  make  this  feature  wells. 
the  central  object  in  the  design  up  to  which  everything  leads,  and  to  place  it  at  the 
intersection  of  the  two  paths  across  the  centre  of  the  garden,  one  running  North  and 
South  and  the  other  East  and  West.  In  many  cases,  one  of  these  walks  will  be  spanned 
by  a  fruit  espalier,  while  the  other  will  pass  between  the  herbaceous  borders,  which  in  turn 
will  be  backed  up  by  clipped  hedges,  so  that  whichever  way  one  looks  from  the  central 
point,  an  interesting  vista  will  be  provided,  especially  if  each  is  closed  at  the  opposite 
end  by  a  pretty  gate,  fruit  room,  arbour,  or  the  centre  gable  of  a  nicely  proportioned 
range  of  glass.  These  considerations  open  up  the  opportunity  for  many  delightful 
arrangements  and  justify  the  sacrifice  of  a  little  more  ground  round  the  dipping  well  for 
a  circular  or  octagonal  open  space  than  would  otherwise  be  conceded,  so  as  to  allow  of 
garden  seats  facing  the  well  with  its  fountain  jet,  and  backed  up  by  an  arrangement  of 
festoons  of  rampant  roses  supported  on  pillars,  which  are  particularly  useful  in  supplement- 
ing the  flowers  from  the  herbaceous  borders  for  house  decoration,  or  where  more  shelter 
is  required,  the  clipped  hedges  which  form  a 
background  to  the  herbaceous  borders  may  be 
carried  round  the  gravelled  circle  surrounding 
the  dipping  well,  arches  being  formed  in  them 
over  the  paths  where  they  cross  them.  Illus- 
tration No.  305  shows  a  typical  arrangement 
of  this  kind. 

Fruit  tree  espaliers  and  bowers  are  not  only  interesting  structural  features  in  the  Espaliers. 
garden,  but  are  also  very  economical,  as  they  occupy  but  little  space,  and  with  properly 
trained,  healthy  trees,  give  a  large  return  for  the  space  occupied.  These  bowers  also 
furnish  a  tempting  opportunity,  which  the  rigid  culturalist  and  stern  economist  will 
pardon,  to  enliven  the  over-apparent  expression  of  bare  necessity  in  the  modern  kitchen 
garden  with  a  wealth  of  roses,  assigning  the  principal  supports  to  them,  with  fruit  trees 
in  the  interspaces.  Such  a  bower  walk  may  even  be  erected  outside  the  kitchen  garden, 
and  lead  from  it  towards  the  pleasure  grounds  or  the  garden  entrance  of  the  house. 

Espaliers  are  formed  of  iron,  iron  and  wire,  wood  and    wire,    or  wood   and    iron,  or  all 
three  of  these  materials.    Although  espaliers  constructed  entirely  of  iron  standards  and  strained 


\ 


FIG.      309. 


24I 


KITCHEN    GARDENS    AND    ORCHARDS. 


FIG.     310  — THE     FRENCH     FRUIT     GARDEN,     FOOTS     CRAY     PLACE,     KENT. 


FIG.     311. — THE     FRENCH     FRUIT     GARDEN,     FOOTS     CRAY     PLACE,     KENT. 

242 


FIG.    312. — ESPALIER    OF    IRON    THROUGHOUT. 


KITCHEN    GARDENS    AND    ORCHARDS. 

wire  are   most   usual,  a   freer  effect   is  obtained   by  the  use   of   wooden  posts  and  top  rail 

with  strained 

wires  passing 

through     the 

posts  as  shown 

in  illustration 

No.      307. 

Wood      also 

allows     of     a 

more    artistic 

treatment, 

and  although, 

perhaps, 

rather    less 

durable    than 

iron,  is  better 

for  the  plants, 

as     the     cold 

iron       checks 

the  tender  buds. 

The  most  usual  iron  espalier  is  that   shown   in   illustration   No.    308,   and   in    a    more 

elaborate     form     in     illustration     No.    312,    the    latter    being     used     with    effect    in     the 

gardens  at  Trentham,  the  long 
bower  at  this  place  being  over- 
arched with  pear  trees. 

Another  arrangement  of  a 
similar  kind-  may  be  made  by 
placing  a  low  espalier,  such  as 
the  one  shown  in  illustration 
No.  309,  close  to  the  walk  and 
the  taller  one  behind  it,  with  a 
border  between.  The  effect  of 
this  arrangement  is  clearly  seen 
in  illustration  No.  310. 

An  effective  espalier  with 
wooden  posts  and  bays  of  iron 
trellis  between  them  is  shown  in 
illustration  No.  313.  As  will 
be  seen  it  is  so  designed  as  to 
meet  a  very  considerable  fall 
in  the  ground,  and  the  trellis 
is  arranged  in  a  series  of  bays 
so  as  to  give  shelter  to  the  flowers 
planted  between.  Another  wood 
and  iron  espalier  is  seen  in  the 
accompanying  views  of  the  fruit 
garden  at  Foots  Cray  Place,  just 
referred  to,  where  ornament  was 
the  prior  motive  in  its  arrange- 
ment, the  fruit  branches  being 


FIG.  313. 


-WROUGHT   IRON    FRUIT    ESPALIER    IN   THE    KITCHEN- 
GARDEN,    WOOD,    DEVONSHIRE. 


trained    to    thin    wooden    laths    in    the    French    manner. 


243 


KITCHEN    GARDENS    AND    ORCHARDS. 


Fruit 
rooms. 


Examples. 


The  arrangement  and  training  of  fruit  trees  on  espaliers  has  been  brought  to  great 
perfection  by  the  French  horticulturalist,  who  by  his  special  methods  cleverly  secures 
the  greatest  fruit-bearing  capacity  together  with  a  very  beautiful  arrangement  of  branches, 
He  aims  at  getting  the  greatest  amount  of  fruit-bearing  wood  on  any  given  area  of 
wall  or  espalier.  The  branches,  whether  in  the  form  of  upright  cordons,  fan  shaped, 
candelabrum  or  horizontal,  are  twelve  inches  apart  ;  there  is  no  waste  of  wall  space  yet 
no  tree  is  allowed  to  encroach  upon  its  neighbour.  Here  is  a  useful  lesson  which  our 
Continental  neighbours  may  teach  us,  as  the  method  is  in  every  way  adapted  to  English 
gardens,  and  a  successful  example  is  given  in  illustrations  Nos.  310  and  311.  It  is  well 
to  remember,  however,  that  just  as  with  us  topiary  work  often  degenerates  into  grotesque 
vegetable  sculpture,  the  cleverness  of  the  French  gardener  sometimes  leads  him  to  attempt 
absurd  forms,  such  as  tables,  balloons,  birds  and  beasts  ;  which  are  to  be  avoided. 

An  important  adjunct  of  the  kitchen  garden  is   the  fruit  room.     Every  hostess  knows 


the  risk  and  anxiety 
cherished  tray  of 
apples  or  pears,  and 
spent  on  elaborate 
good  keeping.  A 
fruit  room,  such 
in  illustration  No. 
needed  if  grapes  are 
for  apples,  much 
may  be  adopted, 
freshness  of  the 
earth,  particularly 
served,  and  flowers 
a  dug-out  room  (111. 
eluding  the  light  and 
of  air  in  order  to 
evaporation.  Above- 
built  of  match 
ally  insulated  with 
thatched  on  both 
(111.  No.  317)  are 
somewhat  expensive. 
an  entirely  under- 
as  that  shown  in 


FIG.    314. — A    FRUIT   ROOM. 


of  keeping,  say,  a 
specially  good  dessert 
much  money  is  often 
erections  to  ensure 
well  constructed 
as  the  one  shown 
314,  is  in  any  case 
to  be  kept,  but 
simpler  methods 
The  flavour  and 
kindly  fruits  of  the 
apples,  can  be  con- 
retarded,  by  making 
No.  315)  and  ex- 
the  free  circulation 
lessen  the  natural 
ground  fruit  rooms 
boarding  and  liber- 
ground  cork,  or 
roof  and  sides 
practicable  but 
Economy  suggests 
ground  room  such 
illustration  No.  316, 


which  could  be  covered  over  with  a  sufficient  depth  of  earth  to  ensure  an  equable 
temperature.  Compact  planning  would  direct  that  this  room  be  sunk  under  one  of  the 
garden  offices  or  under  the  cold  storage,  or  as  an  independent  underground  room  with  a 
roof  of  arched  concrete,  but  in  any  case  it  will  need  a  regulated  ventilating  shaft  at 
each  end,  double  doors  at  one  end,  and  a  small  window  opening  on  to  an  area  at  the 
other.  A  damp  earth  floor  is  essential  to  fruit  preservation. 

To   explain  and    enforce   the  above   remarks    relating  to   kitchen   gardens,   illustrations 
are  given  of  several  designed  by  the   Author. 

The  first  (111.  No.  318)  is  the  plan  of  a  kitchen  garden  of  nearly  two  acres,  designed 
for  a  client  in  the  United  States,  and  illustrates  a  case  where,  on  account  of  the 
peculiarities  of  the  site,  the  garden  cannot  be  square  in  shape.  The  site  of  this  garden 
was  previously  cut  up  into  a  number  of  small  plots  containing  frame  cottages,  which 
have  now  been  removed  to  a  more  secluded  position,  and  there  erected  according  to  an 
ordered  plan.  The  garden  required  comparatively  little  grading,  excepting  at  the  North 


244 


KITCHEN    GARDENS    AND    ORCHARDS. 


C  B  »  WM  t> 


FIG.   315. 


FIG.    316. 


and  South  ends.  At  the  North  it  was  found  necessary  to  erect  a  retaining  wall,  and  at 
the  South  or  narrow  end,  to  fill  up  some  five  feet.  As  is  usual  in  America,  hedges 
were  planted  in  preference  to  expensive  walls. 

In  illustration  No.  319  is  shown  the  kitchen  garden  at  the  Manor,  Thornton 
Hough,  Cheshire,  the  seat  of  Sir  William  Lever,  Bart.,  and  is  a  good  instance  of  adaptation 
of  the  plan  to  the  special  conditions  of  the  site,  the  garden  of  about  an  acre  and  a  half 
being  set  angle- wise  to  the  house  but  parallel  to  a  boundary  wall  and  bridle  path.  Here  the 
primary  object  was  to  provide  sheltered  walks  convenient  to  the  residence  and  connecting 
directly  with  the  principal  terrace  walks.  The  plan  of  this  garden  should  be  compared 

with    the   photograph    of    its    central 

portion  given  in  illustration  No.   305, 

which  gives  a  good  idea  of  the  treat- 
ment   of    details.      The    effect,    when 

the  fruit  trees  are  in  blossom,  is  very 

fine  indeed.     This  scheme  is,  of  course, 

part   of   a  connected    formal    garden, 

but    the    same    principles    might    be 

adapted    to    many   places   where   the 
details  would,   for  reasons   of  cost,  be  of   the  simplest   description. 

An    effective   kitchen  garden    placed    close   to    the    North   side   of   a   house    adjoining 
the    carriage    court    and    generally    embodying    the    principles   and    requirements    already 
advocated    is    given    in    illustration    No.    279.      This    garden    is    entered   by   a   wrought- 
iron  gate  from  the  carriage  court  and  a  view  is  obtained   from  it  down  the   central  path 
of    the  garden,  which  is  constructed   on   the  principles  already   explained,    terminating  in 
a  conservatory  placed  against  the  North  wall  of  the  garden,  with  plant  and  fruit  houses 
arranged    to   right  and   left.       Near  the  centre   of   the   garden   is   a   circular   dipping   well 
with    a    simple    upright    fountain    jet,     and    on    each    side    of    the    walk    is    a    border 
six  feet    wide    for    hardy    perennials,    flanked    by  fruit   espaliers.       At   regular   intervals 
flower-grown  arches  span  the  walk,   giving, 
as    viewed    from    the    Carriage   Court,    the 
appearance    of    a    continuous   bower,  where 
along  the  level  sheltered  paths,  surrounded 
by    fragrant     flowers,    most    garden    lovers 
would    delight    to    stroll.       The    evergreen 
shrubs    flanking    the     conservatory     would 
supply   the   necessary   touches    of    green    in 
Winter,  and  might  be  supplemented  by  bay 
trees    in    tubs    at    sheltered    places,    which 
would    be    by   no   means    out    of   place   in 
the   kitchen   garden,   as  in  many  establish- 
ments    the    leaves     are     indispensable     for 
flavouring  purposes. 

There   are    three   adjuncts  of   the   domain   so   intimately   connected    with    the   kitchen     Frame 
garden   both   in    planning    and    purpose  as    almost    to    form    parts   of   it.       These    are    the     grounds^ 
frame  ground,   the  reserve  garden  and  the  orchard.      The  first   of  these,   with  its  various 
erections    such    as    potting    sheds,    tool    houses,    fruit    rooms,    places    for    ladders,  wheel- 
barrows,  garden  rollers   and  lawn   mowers,  bins  for  composts   and   manures,  and  standing 
ground    for  chrysanthemums   and   other   plants   which   require   plunging,  has  already   been 
mentioned   in  dealing  with  glasshouses,  and  it  is  only  necessary  to  add  that  it  is  a  wisely 
directed    forethought    which    studies    the    comfort    and    convenience    of    the    garden    staff, 
especially  where  several   young  men    are   employed.       In    the   critical   season  of  a   severe 


FIG.    317. 


245 


Reserve 
garden. 


Orchards. 


KITCHEN    GARDENS    AND    ORCHARDS. 

Winter,  men  living  at  a  distance  are  liable  to  neglect  the  fires  and  the  protection  of  their 
frames.  If  we  are  to  maintain  our  national  reputation  in  gardening,  there  must  be  a 
thorough  system  of  oversight  by  the  head  gardener  often  extending  beyond  ordinary 
work  hours.  This  necessitates  the  gardener's  cottage  and  a  bothy  being  placed  at  or 
near  the  gardens,  as  in  illustration  No.  298,  and  in  direct  connection  with  the  frame 
ground.  As  it  will  be  necessary  for  the  whole  staff  to  work  under  shelter  on  wet 
days,  the  sheds  in  the  frame  ground  should  also  be  ample. 

In  the  illustration  just  referred  to  is  given  a  drawing  of  the  frame  ground  at  Wych 
Cross,  Ashdown  Forest.  This  is  part  of  an  extensive  garden  laid  out  about  eight  years 
ago  for  Douglas  W.  Freshfield,  Esq.,  and  is  supplemented  by  a  stick  and  manure  yard 
some  one  hundred  yards  distant  but  in  convenient  relation  to  it.  It  gives  the 
accommodation  which  would  be  necessary  in  the  frame  ground  for  a  moderate-sized 
country  house.  It  is  a  part  of  the  garden  which  does  not  to-day  receive  the  care  and 


FIG.    318. 


attention  formerly  devoted  to  it,  though  it  would  seem  to  be  more  necessary  than 
ever,  for  it  is  here  that  so  much  of  the  best  work  is  done,  and  upon  its  plan  and 
arrangement  depends,  in  a  large  measure,  the  tidiness  of  other  parts  of  the  garden.  It 
is,  in  short,  the  gardener's  workshop  and  warehouse  for  raw  materials. 

In  most  gardens,  except  those  of  very  moderate  extent,  a  reserve  garden  should 
be  arranged  for,  or  a  grassy  or  garden  orchard  formed,  a  place  where  relief  may  be 
found  from  the  effort  and  ambition  of  producing  the  largest  fruit  of  the  most  striking 
varieties.  The  reserve  garden  has  shorn  grass  paths  with  espaliers,  damson,  crab  and 
cherry,  and  quaint  fruit  trees  on  the  French  system,  with  a  wealth  of  herbaceous 
borders  and  overarching  wreaths  of  roses,  but  is  not  so  prolific  as  the  garden  orchard. 

More  romances  of  fiction  and  song  have  been  laid  in  an  orchard  than  anywhere 
else,  for,  if  rightly  considered,  it  is  the  one  part  of  the  domain  above  all  others  which 
speaks  of  seclusion,  peace,  quiet  and  rest,  a  close  commune  with  nature  and  rural  pleasures. 
It  is  the  garden  of  romance  and  song,  of  birds  and  bees  and  flowers,  of  tender  memories 


246 


KITCHEN    GARDENS    AND    ORCHARDS. 

and  peaceful  sights  and  sounds,  where  "Nature  painteth  all  things  gay,"  where  the  pro- 
fuse Siberian  and  John  Downie  crabs  vie  with  the  apple  and  cherry  blossom,  and  the 
free  rambler  roses,  allowed  here  to  clamber  up  the  apple  tree  stocks,  or  in  free  and  wild 
profusion,  to  form  an  embowering  thicket,  with  the  snug  recess  where  are  the  bee  hives 
amidst  marsh  mallows  completing  the  picture.  Here  the  grass  may  be  allowed  to  grow 
up  and  exhibit  its  luxuriance  and  variety  until  its  freshness  begins  to  wane,  variegated 
here  and  there,  in  the  seasons  of  blossom  or  fruit,  with  drifts  of  daffodils  or  meadow 
flowers. 

The  sense  of  quiet  remoteness  and  peaceful  seclusion  which  is  the  chief  charm  of 
most  old  orchards  is  best  attained  by  so  designing  them  that  they  are  approached  through 
one  of  the  flower-bordered  or  fruit-embowered  paths  of  the  kitchen  garden,  which  is 
in  itself  an  enclosed  garden.  Very  often  one  main  path  through  them  leading  to  a 
quaint  but  simple  gate  communicating  with  the  home  park  or  a  pleasant  field  path, 


THOKNTOX   MANOR  CHESHIRE 


FIG.     319. 

may  be  gravelled,  but  other  ways  about  the  orchard  itself  are  better  laid  down  with 
broad  paths  of  closely  shorn  grass,  and  where  they  are  enough  used  to  make  it  difficult 
to  keep  the  turf  in  good  condition,  a  strip  of  the  green  Westmorland  flag  may  be  laid 
along  the  centre.  This  material  may  be  obtained  of  a  shade  exactly  suited  to  the 
purpose,  and  which  so  harmonizes  with  the  colour  of  the  grass  to  be  quite  in  keeping. 
The  boundary  may  be  formed  of  a  thick  hedge  of  cluster  roses,  or  better  still,  of  the 
fruitful  cut -leaved  blackberry,  festooning  a  rough  wattle  fence  and  allowed  to  grow  high 
enough  and  thick  enough  to  assist  the  air  of  seclusion. 

While  dwarf  bushes  will  soonest  yield  an  abundant  crop  of  fruit,  the  orchard  designed 
to  form  a  part  of  the  grounds  of  the  domain  will  be  more  appropriately  furnished  with 
the  older  fashioned  standard  fruit  trees.  All  the  remarks  regarding  the  planting  of 
wall  trees  in  the  kitchen  garden  also  apply  to  these,  except,  of  course,  that  the  young 
trees  would  be  fastened  to  strong  stakes  let  well  into  the  ground,  and  that  it  is  necessary 


247 


KITCHEN     GARDENS     AND     ORCHARDS. 

• 

that  the  grass  should  not  be  allowed  to  grow  within  two  or  three  feet  of  the  stems 
until  they  are  well  established.  When  the  fruit  trees  are  well  grown,  the  neighbouring 
kitchen  garden  will  benefit  by  their  presence,  for  they  will  form  an  efficient  wind  screen, 
and  their  free  and  unrestrained  limbs  appearing  above  or  overhanging  the  fruit  walls  will 
give  a  pleasant  note  of  contrast,  especially  when  they  are  laden  with  blossom  or  fruit. 

The  chief  charm  of  the  typical  English  orchard  is,  as  we  have  already  said,  its 
air  of  old-world  peaceful  seclusion,  and  in  laying  out  a  new  one  we  should  make  the 
attainment  of  the  same  atmosphere,  as  far  as  is  consistent  with  its  surroundings  and 
purpose,  our  chief  aim.  This  can  only  be  done  by  a  very  careful  consideration  of  all 
the  details  and  furnishings,  which  must  be  simple  and  unostentatious  in  their  design 
and  solid  in  their  construction.  Of  course  only  a  few  accessories  are  possible,  but  we 
may  have  a  simple  circular  seat  round  the  base  of  an  apple  tree  or  a  straight  one  with 
a  tiled  canopy  or  pent  roof  over  it  at  the  end  of  the  principal  walk. 

We  may  even  have  an  enclosed  aviary  with  its  details  carried  out  in  carefully 
proportioned  trellis  work  after  the  manner  of  that  which  so  often  accompanies  the 
verandahs  and  balconies  of  Georgian  mansions,  and  of  course  there  are  gates,  doors, 
fences,  steps  and  other  utilitaria  on  the  design  of  which  we  may  exercise  artistic  ability 
and  taste.  What  could  be  more  charming  for  instance  than  profuse  masses  of  bloom 
overtopping  a  little  lych-gate  or  seen  in  inviting  glimpses  through  the  open  panels 
of  a  door  in  an  arched  doorway,  or  a  fence  constructed  of  materials  which  strike  a  local 
note,  and  swathed  in  masses  of  rampant  roses,  presenting  not  only  colour  and  sweetness 
within,  but  providing  a  thorny  reception  to  intruders  and  fruit  stealers  from  without. 

By  this  and  similar  means,  the  orchard  may  be  made  one  of  the  most  attractive 
portions  of  the  domain,  from  early  Spring  to  late  Autumn.  First  will  come  the  snow- 
drops nestling  round  the  stems  of  the  trees,  to  be  followed  by  carpets  of  brilliant  single 
daffodils  accompanied  by  clusters  of  primroses  on  banks  and  under  the  fences,  which 
in  turn  will  give  place  to  scented  violets,  but  not  before  the  whole  orchard  has  put  on 
its  gorgeous  panoply  of  white  and  delicately  pink  blossom.  From  the  time  this  has 
disappeared  until  the  fruit  begins  to  ripen,  the  orchard  will  be  gay  with  roses  trained 
over  the  fences,  and,  after  the  main  fruit  harvest  is  over,  the  Virginia-creeper,  trained 
over  the  arbour  or  lych-gate,  may  prolong  its  Autumn  glory  a  little  longer ;  and  even 
in  the  depth  of  Winter,  one  or  two  old  apple  trees  may  be  given  over  to  the  cultiva- 
tion of  mistletoe,  so  that  throughout  the  whole  year  this  delightful  feature,  with  its 
stores  of  old  associations,  may  provide  variety  and  be  attractive  for  its  own  sake. 


248 


FIG.     320. — THE     GARDENS,     LEVENS     HALL. 


"' 

Tf»mi9vanm^fr*gm\ff-      '    "^  'j JC^'     ~~     '      :iit.V-..  ^  '  ' 
-.•c!.iMui3^,"*M3tenaui*i44)£*#<MH*ii>tv  -fii*fci»  _  . ^  f  ,^<*jiv!.  ,    . 


CHAPTER    XVI. 

Of    avenue   carriage   drives    we    have    already    spoken    in    another   chapter,    and    those     Green 
with    which    we    now    propose    to    deal    belong    to    a    different    category,    being    purely    a     avenues. 
part   of    the    ornamental   portions   of   the   domain    and   considered    solely    as    a    feature    in 
themselves   and   not    merely   as   an   effective   addition   to   a   necessary   roadway. 

The  opportunity  rarely  occurs  for  the  formation  of  an  avenue  on  the  grand  scale 
adopted  by  the  gardeners  of  the  Renaissance,  such  as  the  triple  avenue  at  Badminton, 
two  and  a  half  miles  long,  as  described  by  Kip,  the  centre  space  two  hundred  feet  wide 
and  the  side  aisles  each  eighty  feet.  They  might  however,  be  planted  oftener  than  they 
are,  but  with  due  caution,  let  it  be  noted,  because,  being  essentially  an  expression  of 
stateliness,  they  should  therefore  lead  up  to  some  building  of  a  scale  and  size  sufficient 
to  give  them  an  adequate  object  on  which  to  focus  their  pronounced  lengthwise 
perspective  and  to  close  the  vista. 

A  form,  of  which  many  fine  examples  are  still  in  existence,  is  the  radiating  avenue, 
which  generally  consisted  of  a  number  of  avenues  starting  from  one  point  and  inter- 
sected by  others  arranged  in  a  similar  manner.  The  accompanying  illustration  (111.  No- 
321)  from  "  Loudon's  Suburban  Gardener  "  conveys  a  good  idea  of  such  an  arrangement. 
While,  however,  the  large  square  bosk  and  the  two  principal  radiating  aisles  would 
certainly  be  impressive,  such  a  multitude  of  avenues  as  is  here  shown  would  cover  a 
large  area  of  ground  and  would  be  pleasant  only  for  use  in  the  Summer  months. 
Where  there  is  an  unlimited  extent  of  fairly  level  parklands,  and  where  the  distant 
views  are  unimportant,  radiating  avenues,  if  designed  so  as  to  be  strictly  in  scale  with 
the  central  mansion,  may  however  be  very  effective. 

Both  these  classes  of  avenue  are  the  accompaniment  of  architecture  on  a  very 
large  scale,  and  form  a  part  of  an  extensive  domain  and  thus  lead  to  the  ques- 
tion— "  Are  avenues  to  be  the  accompaniment  of  palatial  architecture  only  ?  '  I  can 
only  reply  that  I  have  never  proposed  one,  excepting  when  it  led  up  to  an  important 
building,  considering  an  avenue  of  fully  grown  forest  trees  to  be  entirely  out  of  scale 
with  a  small  house  ;  but  there  are  many  examples  of  moderate  sized  residences  designed 
in  the  Georgian  or  Italian  renaissance  styles  where  short  avenues,  framing  fine  landscape 
views,  are  entirely  in  keeping.  Such  avenues  are  by  far  the  most  effective  when  placed 
on  the  East  and  West  sides  of  the  house,  and,  running  East  and  West,  they  provide 
green  wings  to  the  mansion  as  viewed  from  the  South  front.  In  Continental  countries 
these  wings  of  foliage  are  used  as  a  definite  factor  in  the  architectural  composition  and 
are  pleached  to  a  formal  line.  Usually  avenues  arranged  on  the  North,  East  or  West 
sides  of  a  house  are  excellent  as  they  give  a  fine  spreading  framework  of  trees  as  a 
background  to  the  mansion,  but  they  should  not  be  allowed  to  monopolize  the  entire 
landscape,  or,  by  approaching  too  near  to  the  house,  to  shut  out  all  views  from  the 
windows  or  keep  it  always  in  shadow,  especially  on  the  South  side. 

The  best  avenue  is  that  formed  of  two  straight  rows  of  trees,  or,  if  over  five  hundred 


251 


THE  FORMAL  ARRANGEMENT  OF  TREES. 

yards  in  length,  two  rows  of  trees  at  either  side.  The  length  of  the  avenue  and  the 
scale  and  style  of  the  architecture  which  it  graces  will  decide  the  variety  of  tree  to  be 
planted,  and  regulate  the  width  and  distance  apart.  For  an  ordinary  avenue  of  about 
a  hundred  yards  in  length,  fern-leaved  beech,  ilex  or  other  trees  of  moderate  size  would 
be  most  suitable,  the  distance  between  the  lines  of  trees  being  not  less  than  twelve 
paces,  and  the  trees  in  the  rows  eight  paces  apart.  For  an  avenue  of  five  hundred 
yards,  the  trees  might  be  of  stronger  growth,  such  as  elm,  lime,  sycamore  or  chestnut, 
placed  ten  paces  apart  in  the  rows,  the  latter  being  from  fifteen  to  twenty  paces  apart. 
To  obtain  an  early  effect,  double  the  number  of  trees  may  be  used  and  planted  half 
the  distance  apart  in  the  rows,  alternate  trees  being  removed  as  soon  as  they  begin  to 
touch  each  other. 

A  local  note  may  often  be  struck  by  forming  an  avenue  of  some  tree  which  is  specially 
characteristic  of  the  district,  especially  when  the  tree  adopted  is  one  not  usually  chosen 
for  this  purpose,  but  is  known  to  thrive  particularly  well  in  the  locality.  Exceptional 
trees  may  also  be  used  with  great  effect  in  exceptional  circumstances  such  as  the  avenue 
of  Cedrus  Deodara,  at  Linton  Park,  Maidstone. 


Woodland 
glades. 


Pleached 
walks. 


FIG.    321. 

Where  the  ground  on  which  the  avenue  is  to  be  formed  is  at  a  much  lower  level 
than  the  floor  of  the  house,  spreading  low-growing  fern-leaved  beech  would,  after  twenty 
years'  growth,  have  a  pleasing  effect  when  viewed  from  above. 

In  forming  a  new  domain  in  wooded  country,  the  effect  of  a  series  of  grass  avenues 
may  often  be  obtained  by  careful  and  discriminate  clearances  such  as  those  shown  in 
illustrations  Nos.  155  and  156.  The  rough  ground  is  carefully  made  up  and  either 
turfed  or  sown  down  and  hedges  provided  on  either  side,  young  trees  being  planted,  so 
that  very  soon,  new  and  old  together  form  a  pleasing  vista. 

Besides  the  avenues  of  full-grown  forest  trees,  suitable  only  for  use  with  imposing 
architecture,  there  are  many  other  arrangements  of  greenery  which  partake  of  the  same 
nature  but  which  are  useful  where  a  large  avenue  would  be  out  of  place.  The  first  of 
these  is  the  pleached  lime  walk,  of  which  examples  may  be  found  in  many  old  gardens 
and  which  has  always  been  a  favourite  device  of  the  artist  gardener  both  in  this  country 
and  on  the  Continent.  It  forms  a  useful  and  beautiful  feature  in  the  garden  and  may 
be  said  to  bear  the  same  relative  scale  to  it  that  the  avenue  bears  to  the  park.  While 
the  latter,  however,  is  a  symmetrical  arrangement  of  trees  which  individually  are  allowed 
to  grow  naturally,  the  former  is  not  only  planted  in  a  formal  manner  but  is  afterwards 
trained  and  trimmed  to  a  symmetrical  design  and  kept  strictly  in  scale  with  its  surround- 


252 


FIG.  322. 


THE  FORMAL  ARRANGEMENT  OF  TREES. 

ings,  as  shown  in  the  accompanying  illustrations  (111.  Nos.  325  and  326).  Owing  to  the 
possibility  of  keeping  the  pleached  trees  clipped  to  a  definite  size,  the  alley  may  be 
adapted  to  almost  any  position  or  shape,  and,  indeed,  may  be  used  in  almost  any  case 
where  a  pergola  would  be  suitable  but  where  its  expense  is  considered  prohibitive. 

Another   avenue-like   arrangement   which   may  be   usefully   employed   in   almost   every     Groves  of 
garden    is    the    grove    of   small    trees.       A    very    usual    form,    and    one    which    has    a   very     small  trees. 
prim   appearance   suited   to   use   in  the  formal  garden, 
is   that    provided    by    a    double    row    of     mop-headed 
acacia,    which    are    perfectly   hardy   in    a    great    many 
parts    of    England,   but  which    seldom    thrive    in    the 
northern  counties  of  Scotland.     Many  othe,r  trees  may, 
of  course,  be  used,   and  some   of   our  most  attractive 
flowering   species   are   eminently   suitable,   such   as  the 
mountain   ash   or  rowan,   snowy    Mespilus,    thorns,   the 

Siberian  and  John  Downie  crabs,  almond,  the  double-flowering  and  common  cherry  and 
Prunus  Pissardi.  Some  foliage  trees,  too,  are  very  useful,  such  as  fern-leaved  beech, 
cut-leaved  alder  and  several  of  the  maples,  the  two  last,  and  also  the  lime  and 
Turkey  oak,  being  capable  of  being  trimmed  to  any  size.  For  groves  or  alleys  which 
are  to  be  used  in  the  Winter,  tall  pyramidal-headed  Portugal  laurels,  especially  the 
small-leaved  variety,  sweet  bays,  bay-leaved  and  golden  queen  hollies  on  long  clean 

stems  are  suitable,  and  should  be  arranged  to  run 
outwards  from  the  South  front  of  the  house,  i.e., 
running  North  and  South  so  as  to  be  sunny  and 
sheltered  from  East  winds.  Such  groves  were  often 
planted  in  old  gardens  and  might  be  added  to  scores 
of  existing  ones. 

It  adds  considerably  to  the  effect  of  a  grove  if  it 
can  be  made  to  terminate  in  some  architectural  feature, 
such  as  a  sheltered  seat  or  summer-house,  or  when  the 

walk  is  to  continue  beyond  the  end  of   the   colonnade,  by  an   arrangement  of   seats  under 
an  arbour  covered  with  climbers,  as  shown  in  illustration  No.  322.      It  is,  however,  much 
better  if    a  summer-house  can  be  arranged   to    close  the   vista,    and   the  connecting  walks 
be  made   to    join    at   right   angles,    as    in   illustration    No.    323.       The    space   between    the 
rows   of    trees   may  be   arranged   as   a   grass   walk   or    as   a   gravelled   path   with   grass   on 
either   side    (111.    No.    324)  ;     the  former  being  the  more   artistic   while  the  latter  is  more 
serviceable    and    easier    to    keep    in    order.      A    better 
but  more  expensive  method  is  to  have  a  paved  walk, 
with  the  same  arrangement   of   trees.     In    spacing   out 
the  trees,  grass,  hedges  and  walks,  due  regard  should 
be   paid   to   the   character  of  the   trees  to  be  planted. 
Thus  if   thorn   or   crab    are   to   be   used,    the  distance 
between   the   hedges    should  not   be  less  than  twenty- 
five   feet,   the   width   of   the  walk   being  not  less  than 

six  feet.  Grass  looks  extremely  well  at  the  sides  if  properly  trimmed,  but  it  should  be 
kept  clear  of  each  hedge  by  at  least  nine  inches,  and  a  small  circular  soil  bed  should  be 
formed  round  each  tree.  If,  as  the  trees  grow  larger  and  produce  more  shade  and 
drip,  the  grass  becomes  thin  and  impoverished,  a  kerb  may  be  put  at  each  side  of 
the  walk  and  the  space  previouly  occupied  by  grass  be  planted  with  St.  John's  Wort, 
Rhus  racemosa,  Gaultheria  Shallon,  G.  procumbens,  Vinca,  or  common  Irish  ivy. 
St.  John's  Wort  and  the  various  Vincse  of  which  the  common  periwinkle  is  one,  are 
the  most  effective  of  these  shade-loving  plants  for  the  purpose. 


FIG.    323. 


253 


THE  FORMAL  ARRANGEMENT  OF  TREES. 


FIG.     325. — THE     LIME     WALK,     TRINITY     COLLEGE,     OXFORD     (WINTER) 


FIG.     326. — THE     LIME     WALK,     TRINITY     COLLEGE,     OXFORD      (SUMMER). 

254 


FIG.  327. 


0 


THE  FORMAL  ARRANGEMENT  OF  TREES. 

Yet   another   formal  arrangement  very  similar  to  the  last  is  the  yew  alley  or  bower     Bower 
walk  which   should   be  found   in   every   garden  of   moderate  dimensions,   whether   formally     walks. 
or   informally    planned.      Probably    the    best    known    of   the    old    examples    is    the    "  Dark 
Arbour "  at   Melbourne  Hall,  Derbyshire,  and  such  scale  and  perfect  arching  must  always 
be   the   result   of   many   years   of   careful   clipping    and    training,   but   nevertheless   a   good 
effect   can    be   obtained    in    reasonable   time   if   a   start    is   made    with    large   plants   under 
favourable  conditions.      These    walks   can    often    be   arranged    where    a   grove   or   ordinary 
pleached    alley    would    not    be    successful.      They    give    sufficient    seclusion    from    without 
and    yet    keep    open    the    garden    vistas    within,    affording    shade    from    burning     sun     or 
sufficient   protection   to  give  an   impression   of  shelter  when   winds  are  boisterous. 

Those  who  have  studied  the  architectural  drawings     Formal 
exhibited   at   the   Royal   Academy  during  recent  years     hedges. 
must  have  been  struck  with   the  number  of  designs  in 
which  trimmed  hedges  form  part  of  the  scheme,  some 
of    them   being   largely   dependent    on    the   hedges   for 
their    interest.      Their    definite    lines    and    the    accom- 
panying  walks    assist   the  architectural   groupings   and 
furnish   an   extended   base  to  the  main  building  ;  they 

impart  an  idea  of  shelter  in  most  weathers  and  suggest  screen  for  half-hardy  flowers. 
They  do  more  than  this  however,  for  they  emphasize  the  varying  colour  and  form 
values  of  haphazard  picturesque  groupings  of  foliage  and  give  the  necessary  contrast, 
binding  the  whole  together  by  the  strong  sweeping  line  which  they  present. 

In    the    modern    garden,    however,    hedges    are    seldom    recognized    as    possessing    any 
artistic   qualities.      Occasionally,    a   trim,    compact   hedge   may   be   met    with,    dividing  the 
kitchen  garden  from  the  pleasure  grounds,  or  as  a  screen  to  back  premises,   but  both  its 
planning    and    treatment,    or   rather   lack    of    distinctive   treatment,    make   it    obvious   that 
it   is   merely    considered    as   the   lesser    of   two   evils — a   brick   wall   or   a   hedge — and   that 
the   owner,   being   unable  to 
bear   either  the  idea  or   the 
cost      of     the     former,     has 
adopted   the   latter.     No   at- 
titude could   be  more  disas- 
trous to  good  garden  design, 
and  with   the  wealth  of  old 
examples  which  escaped  the 
general      destruction      which 
befell  the   beautiful   old   for- 
mal   gardens    in    the    early- 
Victorian   era,  there   can   be 


FIG.  328. 


no  excuse  for  the  purely  utilitarian  treatment  of  these  aesthetic  factors.  The  wonderful 
hedges  at  Holm  Lacy  show  what  can  be  accomplished  by  the  use  of  green  fences,  while 
the  well-known  green  arches  at  Broom  Hall,  Norfolk,  suggest  many  arrangements  which 
may  be  used  where  an  ordinary  hedge  would  give  too  shut  in  an  appearance. 

As   a   rule,   the   simpler  forms   of    clipped    hedge  are  most   satisfactory,   because   they     Design  of 
express  their   purpose  without   pretence   and   are  much  more  likely  to  be  kept  in   shape     ygw  hedges. 
than  those  requiring  great  skill  in  clipping,  but  as  simplicity  may  be  expressed  in  many 
ways,   there   is   no   reason   why   there    should    be    any    lack    of    variety.      Even    a   hedge 
bounded   entirely   by  straight    lines   may   be   diversified    in   many   ways,  by   the   ordinary 
square  crenellations  or  by  pilaster  projections  arranged   at  intervals  of  about  twenty  feet, 
or  to  mark  the  sides  of  an  opening  made  to  admit  a  pathway.      There  is  also  the  usual 
form  of  straight  "  jump "  or  alteration  in  height  made  to  meet  the  fall  of  the  ground  or 


255 


Objections 
to  hedges 
considered. 


FIG.  329. 


FIG.  330. 


FIG.  331. 


FIG.  332. 


THE  FORMAL  ARRANGEMENT  OF  TREES. 

allow  of  a  few  feet  of  higher  hedge  against  a  building  (111.  No.  327).  To  these  modes 
of  treatment  may  be  added  several  which  are  not  quite  so  simple,  such  as  the  raised 
semicircular  "  rounds,"  as  shown  in  illustration  No.  328,  while  the  reverse  of  this 
treatment,  or  a  series  of  sweeping  hollows  cut  out  of  the  level  top  of  the  hedge,  with 
short  level  portions  left  between  every  hollow  and  the  next,  though  difficult  to  trim 
correctly,  is  most  effective  where  a  beautiful  expanse  of  distant  hill  and  valley  is  framed 
in  the  semicircular  openings.  Either  of  these  useful  shapes  may  be  further  elaborated, 

should  the  surroundings  call  for  it,  by 
the  addition  of  pilasters  between  each 
two  rounds;  or  these  again  may  be  sur- 
mounted by  heads  clipped  to  a  ball 
shape  or  half  ball,  with  or  without 
whorls  below,  or  to  the  shape  of  sugar- 
loaf  finials. 

Most  of  these  arrangements  demand  that  the  hedge  shall  be  trimmed  perfectly 
square  in  section,  i.e.,  with  vertical  sides  and  a  flat  top;  but  this  is  not  always  the  best 
section  for  ensuring  a  strong  hardy  growth.  The  nurseryman  and  forester,  on  the  one 
hand,  and  the  architect  on  the  other  have  completely  different  views  on  this  matter. 
Both  the  former  would  keep  the  hedges  wide  at  the  bottom  and  narrow  at  the  top,  as 
shown  in  section  in  illustration  No.  329,  because  hedges  so  trimmed  make  strong  lower 
branches,  and  a  dense,  close  bottom  is  obtained.  Architects  however,  from  artistic 
motives,  generally  prefer  hedges  trimmed  square  on  the  top  (111.  No.  330),  and  the 
gardener  usually  enlarges  upon  this  by  allowing  the  top  to  over-hang,  as  in  illustration 
No.  331,  with  the  result  that  the  hedge  gets  poor  and  open  at  the  bottom.  The 
pointed  section  preferred  by  foresters  (111.  No.  332)  does  not  look  so  prim  as  the  square 
shape,  but  for  practical  reasons  is  undoubtedly  the  best.  By  a  little  care,  however,  the 
advantages  of  the  one  shape  may  be  combined  with  the  primness  of  the  other,  by 
keeping  the  hedge  pointed  while  young,  and  when  a  good  strong  bottom  has  matured, 
by  gradually  allowing  the  top  to  grow  outwards  until  it  can  be  trimmed  square. 

Many   gardeners   who,   in   most    things   connected    with   their   craft,    are  excellent   men, 

have      an      unwarrantable 

dislike    to    hedges,    which 

they     allege    rob    the    soil 

of  nutriment  and  harbour 

every  known  garden  pest, 

making    successful     flower 

growing   impossible,    or  at 

the     best,      disappointing. 

While  it  is  true  that  trees 

and  shrubs  harbour  pests, 

the   idea  that  they   make 

flower  gardening  impossible  or  even  difficult  is  "altogether  erroneous.  A  bed  of  lettuces 
in  the  middle  of  a  fifty-acre  field,  half  a  mile  removed  from  hedges,  would  receive  greater 
attention  from  these  pests  than  a  whole  flower  garden  with  hedges  and  box  edging  covering 
half  the  ground.  Granted,  however,  that  there  is  some  truth  in  the  gardeners'  contention, 
and  add  to  it  the  further  objection  that  the  roots  of  the  hedges  absorb  the  nutriment 
from  the  soil,  the  shelter  which  they  give  to  the  plants  is  an  excellent  compensation 
for  these  drawbacks.  When  the  necessary  outlay  can  be  afforded,  the  impoverishment 
of  the  borders  may  be  completely  prevented  by  building  a  wall  some  three  feet  deep 
into  the  ground  between  the  hedge  and  the  border,  its  top  being  level  with  the  ground, 
as  shown  in  the  first  sketch  (111.  No.  333).  Where  this  plan  is  too  costly,  it  is 


FIG.  333. 


FIG.  334. 


256 


THE  FORMAL  ARRANGEMENT  OF  TREES. 

advisable  to  have  a  grass   walk,   as  broad    as  possible,  between    the  hedge  and   border,  as 
shown  in   the  second  sketch   (111.   No.    334). 

The    number    of    different    trees    or    shrubs    which    may    be    used    for    forming    clipped     Materials 
hedges  is   very  large.      There  is   no  doubt,  however,   of  the  pre-eminence   of  yew   for  this     available 
purpose,   wherever  the   conditions   are   at   all   normal.      Not   only  has   it   the   advantage   of    f°r  hedges. 
.  possessing    the    sentiment    which    must    inevitably    cling    round    the    material    from    which 
the  trim  hedges  of  the  old-fashioned  English  garden  were  formed,  but  there  is  something 
in   its   habit   which  gives   it   a   quiet   homelike   appearance   which   is  unattainable   in   other 
materials,    and   which    is   so   obvious   in  the  accompanying   photographs  of    the   gardens  at 
Levens  Hall  (111.   Nos.  336  and  337),   while  its   colour  is   an  ideal  shade   against   which  to 
display   the  brilliant  hues  and   bold   foliage  of   the  old-fashioned  hardy  perennials.     Where 
yew   is   not   used,   the   best    and   most   permanent   evergreen   hedges   are   formed  by   holly, 
tree    box,     Cotoneaster    macrophylla,    C.     Simonsii,    C.    buxae folia,     Ligustrum    ovalifolium, 
(oval-leaved   privet)   or  sweet  briar.      Privet  is  practically   evergreen   and,  in   fact,  entirely 
so   in  mild   winters  when   the   old   leaves   remain   until   the   new  ones   push   forth.      Sweet 
briar  is  really   deciduous  but,   as  the  stems  are  of   a  bright   green   colour,   it  may  almost 
be  considered  as  an  evergreen.      There  are  also  numerous  varieties  of  Arborvitae,  Cupressi, 
Retinosporae    and    Juniperi,    nearly    all     of     which     stand    trimming     while     the     several 
varieties  of  Laurus,  Cerasus  laurocerasus,  and  C.  rotundifolia  are  useful.      Even  Scotch  and 
spruce  fir,  when  grown  under  favourable  conditions,  form  most  excellent  hedges.     In  some 
parts    of    Scotland,    particularly   in    Aber- 
deenshire,  the  former  tree  is  largely  used 
for    hedges     of     fields    lying    in    exposed 
positions,  and  that  they  will  stand   trim- 
ming  is   shown  in   the   forests    along    the 
Dee-side,   where   thousands   of   them   may 
be   seen   which    have  been    trimmed    into 
dwarf   symmetrical   bushes   by   the  deer. 

The  best  materials  for  deciduous 
hedges  are  undoubtedly  beech,  hornbeam, 
thorn  and  myrobella  plum.  Of  these 

the  most   suitable   are    beech   and   hornbeam,    and    the   latter   is   probably   the   best   of   all 
deciduous  hedging   plants   for   use  in    the  garden. 

A  very  economical  and  effective  fence  between  small  gardens  and  the  highway  may 
be  made  by  planting  a  prim  hedge,  say  of  privet,  behind  plain  railings,  and  trimming 
the  former  a  few  inches  above  the  top  of  the  latter.  In  this  way  effective  use  may 
even  be  made  of  that  otherwise  unaesthetic  material  known  as  unclimbable  iron  fencing, 
as  shown  in  the  sketch  (111.  No.  335). 

Most  of  the  hedging  plants  named  above  may  be  obtained  from  good  nurseries  in 
almost  any  size  and  in  some  cases  a  nurseryman  will  sell  the  half-matured  hedges  divid- 
ing his  nursery  quarters.  When  an  already  well-grown  hedge  is  to  be  transplanted,  it 
should  be  prepared  for  lifting  at  least  six  months  before  it  is  required.  The  best  plan 
is  to  purchase  in  the  early  Spring  and  prepare  the  plants  by  close  root  pruning  and 
then  remove  in  the  Autumn.  Where  there  is  no  hurry,  however,  it  is  better  to  start 
with  small  plants,  as  they  make  more  perfect  hedges  than  larger  transplantations,  which 
are  liable  to  lose  their  lower  branches. 

For  formal  pleasaunces  or  the  more  decoratively  treated  portions  of  the  gardens, 
there  are  very  few  positions  where  a  hedge  composed  of  more  than  one  variety  of  tree 
could  be  successful,  unless  a  privet  hedge  is  planted  between  the  garden  and  home  park, 
when  thorn  may  be  inserted  to  keep  back  cattle,  but,  in  the  home  park  or  even  in  the 
wild  garden,  delightful  effects  may  be  obtained  by  mixing  two  different  species.  Thus, 


ft™ 


FIG.    335. 


257 


THE    FORMAL    ARRANGEMENT    OF    TREES. 


FIG.    336. — THE    LADIES'    GARDEN,    LEVENS    HALL. 


FIG-     337-  —HERBACEOUS     BORDER     IN     THE     LADIES       GARDEN,     LEVENS     HALL. 


Hedges  of 
more  than 
one  species, 
of  tree. 


Planting 

thorn 

hedges. 


FIG.  338. 


THE  FORMAL  ARRANGEMENT  OF  TREES. 

privet  and  thorn,  privet  and  hornbeam,  holly  and  hornbeam,  hornbeam  and  thorn  are 
all  suitable,  while  beech  and  holly  together  make  one  of  the  most  delightful  combinations 
possible  in  the  Winter  months,  for  the  beech,  when  clipped,  retains  bright  russet-coloured 
leaves  until  the  Spring,  and  the  combination  of  these  with  the  dark  rich  green  of  the  holly, 
backed  up  possibly  by  a  blue  misty  distance  or  a  carpet  of  snow  with  its  delicate  half- 
tints,  provides  a  feast  of  colour  at  a  time  when  Nature  is  generally  rather  drab,  which 
appeals  vividly  to  the  trained  colour  sense  of  the  landscape  painter. 

To    form    the    ordinary   white    thorn    or   quick    hedges,    the    plants   should    be    bought 
when   a    foot    or   fifteen  inches   high,   and   placed   in   double  rows   about  five  inches    apart 
any   time   from   November   to   March.       The   following   April   they   should   be   cut  down   to 
three    inches    above    the    ground,    and    after- 
wards,  as    the    growth    permits,    trimmed    to 
the   desired    shape,    after    which    they    should 
be  kept  annually  trimmed.     It  cannot  be  too 
strenuoush'    insisted    upon    that    the    ground 
must   be   trenched   and   cleaned   before  plant- 
ing,    and    nettles,    noxious    weeds    and    long 
grass    must    be   systematically   kept   under    as 
they  shut  out   light  and   air   from   the  stems, 
and   harbour   pests. 

The  accompanying  sketch  (111.  No.  338), 
shows  such  a  hedge  on  a  cop  of  earth  with 
the  usual  ditch  at  one  side.  Whether  a 

raised  cop  is  possible  or  not,  some  sort  of  a  temporary  fence  should  be  provided  to 
prevent  the  young  hedge  from  being  damaged  by  cattle,  and  in  very  exposed  positions 
wattle  hurdles  will  be  best,  as  they  will  provide  shelter  from  keen  winds  for  the  young 
and  tender  plants. 

Openings  through  clipped  hedges  may,  by  a  little  contrivance,  be  made  very  effective, 
as,  when  several  arches  cross  a  walk  one  behind  the  other,  as  at  Alton  Towers, 
Staffordshire,  or  where  a  single  or  double  continuous  arcade  of  clipped  arches  runs  along- 
side or  on  either  side  of  a  walk,  making  a  many  arched  bridge  of  greenery  such  as  that 
at  Broom  Hall  already  referred  to,  or,  more  beautiful  still,  because  more  quaint,  the 
similar  arrangement  at  Cleeve  Prior.  The  shadow  effects  thrown  on  the  surrounding 
ground  are  very  fine,  but  the  shelter,  which  is  the  chief  use  of  a  hedge,  is  partially 
destroyed,  while,  unless  further  provision  is  made  to  prevent  them,  draughts  sweep  under 
these  arches  and  make  it  difficult  to  grow  flowers  successfully  in  their  immediate  vicinity. 
To  attain  any  measure  of  success  in  growing  and  trimming  compact  arches  means  time 
and  care,  and  probably  the  aid  of  a  wood  or  iron  framework  will  be  necessary  to  train 
the  wayward  branches. 

Topiary,  which  is  such  a  typical  feature  of  the  old  English  garden,  suffers  now-a-  Topiary. 
days,  from  the  absurd  uses  to  which  it  is  put,  thus  bringing  the  whole  art  into  ridicule. 
Instead  of  an  orderly  arrangement  of  trees  clipped  to  designs  which  bear  some  relation  to 
their  arrangement  and  surroundings,  we  have  a  heterogeneous  collection  of  wild  beasts, 
ships,  peacocks,  balloons  and,  worse  still,  arm  chairs  which  cannot  be  sat  upon  and 
which  are  all  the  more  disappointing  if  placed  where  a  real  seat  would  be  welcome. 

As  a  typical  example  of  the  right  application  of  topiary  we  may  instance  the  very 
usual  use  of  a  yew  arch  over  a  little  white  painted  gate  opening  on  to  a  cottage 
garden,  the  whole  surmounted  by  a  pair  of  doves,  emblematic  of  domestic  felicity,  or 
the  perpetual  reminder  shown  in  illustration  No.  340,  which  the  writer  came  across  in 
another  cottage  garden. 

Simple    forms   are  always  best,  the  raised  ridges  shown  in  illustration  No.  339  would 


Treatment 
of  openings 
in  hedges. 


259 


THE  FORMAL  ARRANGEMENT  OF  TREES. 


Trees  for 
clipping. 


FIG.  339. 


prove  much  more  effective  than  the  elaborate  cones,  obelisks,  columns,  spheres,  spirals, 
domes,  bottles  and  corkscrews,  canisters,  and  so  forth,  of  which  we  have  too  great  a 
profusion.  The  shapes  adopted  should  be  complementary  to  the  existing  lines.  Where, 
as  at  Blickling,  there  is  an  abundance  of  erect-growing  conifers,  and^  upright  lines 
predominate,  perfectly  flat-topped  beds  of  yew  are  in  keeping,  but  where,  on  the 
contrary,  there  are  a  number  of  horizontal  lines  and  flat  surfaces,  as  at  Montacute,  the 

long  lines  of  obelisk-shaped  yews  are  equally  effective. 
The  requirements  of  every  garden  cannot,  of  course,  be 
so  easily  gauged  or  dogmatically  determined  as  in  these 
cases,  nor  is  this  desirable,  as  monotony  would  be  sure 
to  result.  There  is  ample  scope  for  the  exercise  of 
ingenuity  in  this  direction  which  leaves  no  excuse  for  the 
wearisome  repetition  of  old  shapes.  If  the  surroundings 
fail  to  suggest  some  new  and  simple  form,  incentives 
may  be  gleaned  from  old  cottage  gardens,  unless  shrubs 
which  have  naturally  a  decidedly  formal  shape  will  fulfil 
all  requirements. 

While  there  are  many  trees  which  will  stand  clipping 
to  artificial  shapes,  box  and  yew  stand  unequalled  for  the 
purpose,  and  nearly  all  the  clipped  shrubs  in  this  country 
are  either  in  one  or  the  other  of  these  materials  or  in 
holly.  Box  is  best  where  dwarf  clipped  shrubs  are 
required,  while  taller  pyramids  and  cones  are  better  in 

yew  or  holly.  The  numerous  small  leaves  and  branches  so  compactly  placed  allow  of 
its  being  trimmed  to  almost  any  shape,  which  it  will  retain  long  after  clipping,  and  it 
has  also  the  advantages  of  being  one  of  the  longest  lived  shrubs  we  possess,  and  of 
thriving  in  most  soils  and  atmospheres.  In  addition  to  the  common  kind,  there  is 
the  Handsworth  box,  an  effective  variety  with  a  beautiful  blue-green  sheen,  and  also 
the  golden  box,  which  looks  pretty  when  trained  to  a  dwarf  cone. 

The  best  variety  of  yew  is  undoubt-  __ __, 
edly  the  common  one,  Taxus  baccata, 
but  there  are  others  almost  equally  ser- 
viceable for  clipping.  Taxus  elegantissima 
aurea  can  be  obtained  trimmed  into  many 
shapes,  such  as  obelisks,  mole  hills,  cubes 
and  pyramids.  Standards  may  also  be 
obtained  consisting  of  mushroom-shaped 
heads  of  this  tree  grafted  on  to  Irish 
yew,  the  heads,  with  their  bright  golden 
colour,  contrasting  admirably  with  the 
dark  green  of  the  Irish  yew  below  (111. 
No.  341).  Another  variety  deserving 
of  more  attention  than  is  usually  be- 
stowed upon  it  is  the  Taxus  adpressa 
stricta,  which  is  somewhat  darker  than 
the  common  variety  and  more  compact  in  habit.  It  makes  a  beautiful  pyramid  and 
requires  little  attention. 

Of  hollies,  the  common  variety  is  the  best,  and  for  trimming  to  some  shapes  is 
the  only  one  possible.  The  golden  queen,  Ilex  Aquifolium  albo-marginatum,  I.  minorca 
and  several  others  make  capital  pyramids,  while  Waterer's  golden  holly,  is  a  slow-growing 
and  compact,  but  most  useful  variety. 


FIG.      340. 


260 


THE  FORMAL  ARRANGEMENT  OF  TREES. 

Those  who  have  seen  the  terrace  gardens  at  Trentham,  will  remember  the  effective 
standard  Portugal  laurels  in  tubs  arranged  at  regular  intervals  along  the  main  walks  ; 
in  such  a  form  this  hardy  shrub  always  appears  to  advantage,  while  the  small-leaved 
variety,  Cerasus  lusitanica  myrtifolia  is  excellent  for  clipping  either  as  a  standard  or  in 
hedges.  Few  people  realize  how  fine  a  pyramid  can  be  made  out  of  the 

Cerasus  Laurocerasus  rotundifolia  /^'"^^^  when  skilfully  pruned.  Although  it 
does  not  last  more  than  ten  or  twelve  '(}''' 'j^TBI  years,  as  it  becomes  bare  and  a 
tangle  of  small  sticks  under  close  ajk  trimming,  a  shrub  so  accommodating 

and   inexpensive,    and   which   can    be  'f fl  so    easily    replaced,    is    often    useful. 

For    clipping,    no   deciduous  tree  i.'i Jj  is    so    effective    as    the    little    known 

fern-leaved  beech,  which  stands  severe  \jjji  cutting  and  trimming.     The  light  pea 

green  of  the  foliage  in  Spring  is  _  JlL^aa^  delightful,  and  in  the  Summer,  when 
it  has  assumed  more  sober  hues,  i.-I(!.  34I.  there  is  much  to  admire  in  the 
beautiful  narrow  serrated  leaves  and  its  peculiarly  neat  habit.  White  or 

pink  thorns,  which  will  also,  of  course,  stand  clipping,  are  inferior  in  effect  to  the  fern- 
leaved  beech,  but  are  often  useful. 

Clipped  trees  are  not,  however,  invariably  essential  to  a  formal  scheme,  for  there  Trees  of 
are  conifers  and  shrubs  which  have  naturally  a  decidedly  symmetrical  outline.  The  naturally 
best  is  unquestionably  the  Irish  yew,  which  together  with  the  golden  variety,  Taxus  lorma'' 
hibernica  aurea  will  suit  most  positions  and  requirements.  They  form  excellent  supports  a  l  ' 
to  steps,  or  to  flank  the  doorway  to  a  porch  or  garden  house,  and  are  also  useful  when 
planted  at  intervals  in  front  of  a  long  bare  wall,  to  break  up  its  surface,  and  flourish 
in  most  soils,  positions  and  atmosphere.  Another  elegant  conical-shaped  conifer, 
Cupressus  Frazeri,  distinguished  by  its  neat  habit  and  beautiful  glaucous  foliage,  may,  in 
districts  favourable  to  conifers,  or  on  light  sandy  soils,  be  even  more  effective  than  the 
Irish  yew.  C.  erecta  viridis  is  very  good  when  in  a  young  state  but  usually  needs 
renewal  every  five  or  six  years,  as  it  gets  very  bare  in  its  lower  branches.  Juniperus 
hibernica  and  J.  chinensis  are  also  both  very  effective  conifers  of  upright  growth  and 
good  colour.  With  a  little  knifing,  the  following  may  also  be  kept  in  good  shape, 
viz  :  —Cupressus  Lawsoniana,  C.  lutea  and  C.  argentea,  Retinospora  squarrosa,  R.  plumosa 
and  R.  plumosa  aurea,  which  are  all  more  or  less  upright  in  growth.  Among  the 
dwarf  varieties  may  be  mentioned  Cupressus  Lawsoniana  nana,  Chamscyparis  ericoides, 
C.  lutea  nana,  C.  leptoclada,  C.  filicoides  and  C.  Lycopoides.  Biota  elegans  is  a 
charming  dwarf-growing  conifer  with  a  pleasing  bronze  shade  of  colour.  Cupressus 
macrocarpa  and  its  golden  variety  are  two  of  the  best  conifers  for  the  formal  garden 
and  are  especially  useful  near  the  seaside.  They  are  of  rapid  growth,  and  although 
not  neat  in  habit  when  allowed  to  grow  naturally,  may  be  trimmed  to  a  pyramidal  form 
of  either  round  or  square  sections,  and  specimens  ten  or  twelve  feet  in  height  may  be 
grown  in  four  years.  Sweet  bays,  which  may  be  obtained  either  as  pyramids  or 
mop-headed,  also  harmonize  well  with  a  formal  treatment,  as  do  mop-headed  Acacias. 

Few  deciduous  shrubs  having  variegated  foliage  equal  Cornus  elegantissima  in  colour. 
It  is  much  superior  in  both  habit  and  hardiness  to  the  Acer  japonica  variegata,  and, 
whether  used  as  a  bush  among  conifers,  as  a  standard  at  intervals  along  the  sides  of 
a  walk,  or  as  a  pyramid  in  the  formal  garden,  is  to  be  commended.  Certain  Japanese 
Acers  make  charming  standards,  but  unfortunately  succeed  only  in  very  mild  and  sheltered 
localities.  Where,  however,  gardens  are  favourably  situated,  and  the  soil  is  light  and 
sandy,  nothing  could  be  more  charming  ;  they  resent  clipping,  but  may  be  kept  shapely 
by  simply  trimming  straggling  branches.  Brooms  are  among  the  hardiest  varieties  of 
flowering  shrubs  sufficiently  neat  in  habit  to  warrant  their  inclusion  in  the  formal  garden, 
and  some  of  them,  when  grafted  on  the  common  laburnum,  make  excellent  standards. 
The  best  varieties  are  Genista  pallida,  G.  p.  praecox,  and  G.  alba.  The  golden  or 

261 


THE  FORMAL  ARRANGEMENT  OF  TREES. 

white   balls   of  colour   which   these   plants   produce  in    Spring,   and   the   fragrance   of   their 
blossoms  are  sufficient  in  themselves  to  make  any  garden  attractive  for  the  time  being. 
Dwarf  Dwarf  topiary  work  stands  in  a  class  by  itself  and  is  quite  distinct  from  the  ordinary 

topiary.  topiary,    though    it    often    accompanies    it.      It    consists    of    patterns,    generally    repeating 

scrolls,  worked  out  in  lines  of  dwarf  box,  trimmed  very  close  and  on  a  background  of 
gravel.  While  there  are  examples  which  show  that  this  class  of  gardening  is  capable 
of  great  development,  its  usual  application  is  the  formation  of  a  garden  in  a  position 
which  is  too  cold,  damp  and  over-shadowed  for  successful  flower  growing,  and  which 
the  owner  was  at  a  loss  what  to  do  with.  Under  such  circumstances  it  is  not  surprising 
that  the  vision  called  up  to  the  mind  by  the  dwarf  topiary  garden  is  a  somewhat 
depressing  place,  shut  in  on  all  sides,  and  where  even  the  hardy  dwarf  box  shows 
evident  traces  of  a  hard  struggle  for  existence.  If,  on  the  other  hand,  dwarf  topiary 
work  is  used  for  decoration  of  the  most  formal  terrace  of  all,  between  the  architecture 
and  the  first  flower  garden,  it  may  be  most  effective,  but  even  here  it  must  be  carried 
out  on  a  somewhat  large  scale  or  it  is  apt  to  look  a  little  out  of  place.  It  is  essentially 
a  feature  suited  to  large  gardens. 

Filbert  Before   closing   the  subject   of   formal  trees,   the   old-fashioned   filbert   walks  must   be 

walks.  mentioned.      Not    only    are    these    very    pleasing    features    with    their    fresh    green    foliage 

and  cool  shade,  but  are  productive  also  and  are  content  with  the  sustenence  to  be  derived 
from  mere  garden  rubbish,  or  almost  any  stony  barren  soil.  They  were  welcome 
inclusions  in  the  old  gardens  and  were  usually  planted  on  the  outer  fringe  of  the 
more  formal  portion,  where  they  helped  artistically  to  merge  the  trim  garden  into  the 
landscape  beyond.  Of  late  years,  filberts  have  been  neglected,  but  results  such  as 
those  read  of  in  old  gardening  books  may  of  course,  still  be  secured.  Growers  of  cob 
and  filbert  nuts  are  agreed  that  much  better  results  can  be  obtained  by  trimming  or 
pruning  the  branches  than  by  shearing  or  pleaching,  while  the  effect  is  equally  good, 
if  care  be  exercised  in  the  knifing.  By  knifing  is  meant  the  trimming  of  branches 
separately  by  secateurs  or  garden  knife  as  opposed  to  shearing  or  clipping.  Cob  and 
filbert  nuts  look  most  effective  when  planted  one  foot  six  inches  to  two  feet  apart  in 
the  rows,  but  the  heaviest  crops  are  secured  by  planting  not  less  than  four  feet  six 
inches  to  five  feet  apart. 


262 


FIG.     342. — PLANTING    AT   LEWISTON   MANOR,    DORCHESTER. 


FIG       343- — PLANTING    BY    THE    LAKE,    "WOOD,"    DEVONSHIRE. 


TNG*  LANDS 
EFFECT 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

f\  » 

As    time    goes     on    and    the    appreciation    of   the    garden     grows    greater   and   more 

widespread,  especially  for  the  quaintness  and  studied  charm  of  the  old  English 
formal  parterre,  it  is  more  and  more  evident  that  the  revival  of  interest  in  the  one 
direction  has  been  attained  at  the  expense  of  others,  for,  while  the  garden  makers  of  a 
hundred  years  ago  could  see  no  beauty  in  any  form  of  gardening  which  was  not  a  direct 
attempt  at  imitation  of  Nature,  they  planted  all  those  magnificent  plantations  and 
groves  of  trees  which  we  are  enjoying  to-day,  and  which,  unless  a  sudden  change  of 
policy  takes  place  throughout  the  country,  of  which  there  are  at  present  no  signs 
whatever,  posterity  will  be  entirely  bereft. 

It  is  not  so  much  that  we  are  not  planting,  as  that  we  are  not  giving  that  care 
and  thought  to  the  creation  of  the  picturesque  which  animated  the  planters  of  past 
generations.  This  is,  in  a  measure,  accounted  for  by  the  swing  of  the  pendulum  from 
the  extremes  which  a  too  zealous  and  undiscriminating  desire  to  reproduce  the  beauties 
and  immensities  of  Nature  in  half  an  acre  of  ground  led  the  old  gardeners  into.  Their 
eccentricities  in  other  directions  have  discredited  their  only  great  and  really  successful 
work,  and  now  it  would  seem  that  we  are  about  to  run  to  the  other  extreme  and  admire 
only  that  which  is  formal,  and  the  immediate  accompaniment  of  architecture. 

Another  cause  of  this  state  of  things  would  seem  to  be  a  lack  of  that  educated 
imagination  which  will  allow  us  to  see,  in  the  mind's  eye,  the  ultimate  effect  of  a  newly 
formed  plantation.  It  is  quite  easy  to  predict  the  result  when  an  avenue  of  young 
horse  chestnuts  shall  have  reached  maturity,  and  so  we  plant  in  straight  lines,  but  to 
grasp  the  meaning  of  a  new  mass  of  planting  is  a  totally  different  matter,  and  involves 
a  careful  estimation  of  probabilities.  In  the  young  and  newly  planted  group  of  trees, 
the  eye  is  first  attracted  by  the  nursers  and  undergrowths  which  are  already  bushy  in 
habit  and  have  a  substantial  appearance.  The  very  weedy  and  unattractive-looking 
saplings  which  will  some  day  give  the  whole  its  effect  are  not  by  any  means  things  of 
beauty,  and  the  Writer  has  even  been  asked  by  disgusted  clients  why  such  "  toothpicks  " 
and  "  gaspipes  "  were  included,  when  the  small  hollies,  mahonia,  privets  and  so  on  gave 
so  much  greater  immediate  result.  It  would  seem  as  though  many  people  had  no  power 
of  seeing  anything  beyond  the  status  quo,  and  thus  we  get  a  great  deal  of  unintelligent 
criticism  of  the  planting  of  modern  gardens,  "  like  a  tea  garden  with  a  lot  of  little 
shrubs." 

With  the  planter  of  a  hundred  years  ago  this  was  not  the  case.  He  was  content 
that  his  work  should  be  judged,  very  largely,  by  posterity,  consequently  his  designs  were  so 
framed  that  they  would  develop  as  the  trees  he  planted  so  lavishly  reached  maturity. 
He  had  been  to  Nature  and  studied  her  methods,  had  noted  how  in  mass  as  a  part  of 
the  landscape,  and  in  detail  as  one  examined  each  portion,  her  work  in  the  woodland  was 


Neglect  of 

picturesque 

planting. 


Lack  of 
imagina- 
tion in 
modern 
planting. 


265 


PLANTING  FOR  LANDSCAPE  EFFECT. 


unsurpassable,  and  that  in  his  own  craft,  if  it  was  to  be  successful,  he  must  be  content, 
like  Nature,  to  work  for  many  years,  with  sustained  and  unflagging  effort,  taking  her 
for  his  guide  at  every  point  and  studying  her  excellences. 

It  would  be  impossible,  within  the  compass  of  one  short  chapter,  to  trace  to  their 
sources  all  the  pleasures  to  be  derived  from  woodland  .and  forest.  It  is  even  impossible 
to  examine  in  detail  Nature's  methods  in  their  production,  and  we  can  only  point  the 
way  to  these  ends,  leaving  the  reader  to  apply  the  broad  principles  indicated. 

Choice  of  The   first   practical    question    the    planter   must    face   is — Of   what    materials    shall    the 

material  for    plantations   for  a    given   site   be   composed  ?     This   will   need   fresh   consideration   in   every 

planting.         case,    for   what    will    thrive    in   one    instance   will    not   in    another ;    and,    again,   much  will 

depend   on   the  scale   of  the   planting.      With   regard   to   the   first   of  these   considerations, 

the   planter  cannot   do   better  than   rely   on   his   observation   of  what    trees    are    found    to 

succeed  well  in  the  immediate  neighbourhood,  coupled  with  the  information  he  can  gain  by 

a  visit   to  the  local  nurseries,    and   by  talking   to    the    nurseryman.      Due    allowance    will, 

however,  have  to  be 
made  for  the  tendency 
of  the  professional 
arboriculturalist  to 
disparage  that  which  is 
common,  and  to  admire 
only  that  which  is  rare 
and  difficult  .to  obtain. 
That  a  thing  is  common, 
other  things  being  equal, 
should  predispose  us  to 
plant  it,  for  it  is  sure  to 
succeed,  and  a  commoner 
variety  of  tree  growing 
luxuriantly  must  always 
give  infinitely  greater 
pleasure  than  a 
rarer  one  desperately 
struggling  for  exist- 
ence against  adverse 
conditions.  Too  many 
gardens  are  spoiled  by 
this  defect. 

This  local  information  is  most  important,  for,  if  we  are  tempted  to  generalize  or 
work  by  rule,  we  may  be  sadly  undeceived  later  on.  Thus,  in  the  English  Lake  District, 
where,  to  quote  a  local  saying,  "  if  you  thrust  in  your  walking  stick  it  will  sprout," 
we  might  be  tempted  to  imagine  that  there  would  be  no  danger  in  planting  such  a 
common  and  hardy-looking  subject  as  Euonymus  japonica,  which,  however,  we  should  find 
would  not  do  at  all  well.  On  the  other  hand,  we  shall  discover,  growing  up  the  wall  of 
the  Scotch  crofter's  cottage,  a  delicate-looking  and  beautiful  climber,  the  Tropffiolum 
speciosum,  or  flame  flower,  which  is  exactly  the  kind  of  thing  which  we  should  expect 
to  benefit  by  shelter  and  careful  cultivation,  and  yet  large  sums  of  money  have  been 
spent  in  the  vain  endeavour  to  make  it  grow  in  some  positions  in  the  South  of  England. 
This  careful  study  of  local  conditions  has  another  aspect,  for  by  this  means  we  shall 
preserve  the  individuality  of  the  locality.  Thus,  Groombridge,  in  Kent  is  noted  for  its 
holm  oaks  (Quercus  Ilex),  and  North  Hertfordshire  for  the  box  trees,  which  sometimes 
reach  a  height  of  twenty  feet,  and  the  most  should  be  made  of  such  local  factors. 


FIG.    344. — POPLARS    IN    THEIR    NATIVE    ENVIRONMENT. 


266 


PLANTING  FOR  LANDSCAPE  EFFECT. 


There  are,  however,  several  broad  generalizations  which  may  be  applied  carefully  to 
all  cases.  Thus  it  is  obvious  that  very  bizarre-looking  things,  such  as  the  monkey-puzzle 
tree  (Araucaria  imbricata),  will  clash  with  all  their  surroundings,  and  should  never  be 
employed  except  in  collections  of  arboricultural  curiosities.  Again,  geological  conditions  will 
have  their  determining  influence,  for  there  are  many  things  that  will  thrive  on  sandstone 
which  will  die  on  lime  or  chalk,  such  as  rhododendrons  and  American  shrubs,  while 
other  things,  such  as  holm  oaks,  prefer  it.  Then,  at  the  seaside,  we  shall  become  aware 
that  our  choice  is  very  limited,  and  we  shall  probably  plant  mountain  ash,  beech,  oak 
and  holly  extensively,  for  lack  of  other  large  trees  that  will  thrive.  A  smoky  neighbour- 
hood will,  again  limit  our  material  very  much,  and  we  shall  have  to  rely  for  many  of 
our  effects  on  two  or  three  kinds,  such  as  the  London  plane  and  the  various  poplars, 
with  dogwoods,  elders  and  rhododendrons  for  undergrowths.  Such  a  neighbourhood  would 
be  fatal  to  many  other  trees,  such  as  Scotch  firs,  which  one  often  finds  planted  where  they 
cannot  possibly  succeed,  under  the  impression,  no  doubt,  that,  as  they  are  hardy  enough 
to  brave  a  Northern  winter  on  an  exposed  site,  they  will  succeed  anywhere.  The  portion 
of  the  British  Isles  in 
which  our  planting  is 
to  be  done  will  also 
enable  the  experienced 
planter  to  eliminate 
unsuitable  subjects 
from  his  list  of  possible 
useful  varieties,  for 
there  are  many  trees 
which,  while  they  will 
luxuriate  in  a  sheltered 
position  in  the  Thames 
valley,  would  die  at 
once  in  the  Northern 
Counties. 

The  amount  and 
depth  of  soil  available 
is  also  important. 
Thus  ash  and  syca- 
more require  a  good 
soil,  while  pines,  oak 

and  beech  are  less  exacting.  Birch  will  grow  with  very  little  soil  indeed  and,  in  English 
mountain  scenery,  may  often  be  seen  gracing  the  face  of  a  barren  precipice,  where  it 
grows  out  of  a  cleft  in  the  rock  only  big  enough  to  take  the  stem. 

This  brings  us  to  another  point  arising  directly  out  of  these  considerations,  and  this 
is  that,  by  planting  those  species  which  are  indigenous,  we  shall  obtain  effects  which 
harmonize  well  with  the  local  scenery.  Those  trees  that  possess  a  habit  helpful  in  the 
composition  of  a  scene  will  invariably  be  found  to  accompany  it.  The  instance  just 
quoted  of  the  silver  birch  adorning  the  rugged  precipice  with  its  graceful  feathery  foliage 
is  a  case  in  point,  and  there  are  many  others,  such  as  the  Scotch  fir  standing  boldly 
out  against  the  sky,  its  dark  rich  foliage  and  red  trunk  harmonizing  or  contrasting 
pleasingly  with  the  purple  heather  and  bright  orange  soil  of  broken  banks,  as  we  see 
it  in  perfection  in  Surrey,  the  rich  evergreen  of  the  holm  oak  and  yews  against  white 
chalk  cliffs,  the  graceful  willow  hanging  over  and  reflected  in  pools  of  still  water,  and 
the  tall  Lombardy  poplar,  with  its  strongly  marked  vertical  habit,  contrasting  with  the 
prevailing  horizontal  lines  in  sky  and  landscape  so  characteristic  of  flat  marshy  districts, 


Aids  to 
choice  of 
material. 


FIG.   345. — POPLARS    IX     UNCONGENIAL    SURROUNDINGS. 


Obtaining 

harmonious 

effects. 


267 


PLANTING  FOR  LANDSCAPE  EFFECT. 


Scale  and 
mass  in 
planting. 


Wrong 
views  of 
scale. 


which  are  their  natural  home.  The  result  of  disregarding  these  considerations  is  well 
shown  in  illustration  No.  345,  which  gives  a  view  of  a  row  of  poplars  divorced  from 
the  plain  to  which  they  belong,  and  placed  among  hills.  The  straight  lines  clash 
horribly  with  all  the  undulations  and  variations  of  the  scene,  whereas  we  have  only 
to  remember  the  works  of  contemporary  French  artists  who  have  painted  the  pastoral 
scenery  of  the  great  French  plain,  to  be  reminded  how  effective  such  a  row  may  be 
in  its  proper  place,  giving  a  much-needed  line  receding  from  the  eye,  whereas  all  the 
others  on  an  open  level  plain  run  directly  across  the  line  of  sight.  The  effect  in  the 
illustration  just  referred  to  would  be  still  worse  if  it  were  not  for  the  horizontal  lines 
which  water  always  provides.  Contrast  this  with  the  other  photograph  given  on  the 
same  page,  in  which  there  are  no  hills  to  compete  with  the  vertical  lines  of  the  poplars, 
but,  instead,  still  water  emphasizing  them.  Nothing  could  be  more  delightful,  and  a 
careful  comparison  of  the  two  may  teach  us  much. 

Having  thus  demonstrated  how  suitability  to  environment  will  influence  our  planting, 
there  still  remains  the  question  of  scale,  which  will  also  help  to  determine  what  we  shall 
plant.  This  question  may  be  considered  in  two  ways,  first  as  to  the  size  of  individual  trees 
when  fully  grown,  and  secondly  as  to  the  extent  of  each  plantation.  Both  aspects  will,  of 
course,  bear  a  direct  relation  to  the  size  of  the  domain  which  is  to  be  planted,  for,  in  one 
place,  the  slope  of  a  hillside  may  be  clothed  with  timber  for  half  a  mile  or  more  in  one 
mass,  while  in  another  there  may  be  no  opportunity  for  anything  beyond  a  plantation, 
say,  fifty  yards  across.  Apart  from  this,  however,  the  proximity  of  architectural  features 
will  have  a  controlling  influence,  for  it  is  obvious  that  planting  on  a  formal  balustraded 
terrace  would  have  to  be  completely  subordinated  to  the  general  architectural  scheme. 

In  the  majority  of  cases,  but  by  no  means  in  all,  architecture  is  much  helped  by  a 
background  or  flanking  masses  of  foliage,  and  even  where  the  building  is  small,  such 
foliage  masses  can  hardly  be  on  too  large  a  scale,  for  there  is  no  sense  of  lack  of  propor- 
tion felt  on  beholding  even  the  tiniest  cottage  backed  up,  or  even  almost  overhung  by 
towering  elms  or  pines.  Instead,  the  greater  the  contrast,  the  more  we  are  impressed 
with  a  sense  of  protection  afforded  from  Winter  storms  and  Summer  heat. 

In  the  case  of  a  classically  detailed  mansion  this  does  not  apply  to  the  same  extent. 
Here  there  will  have  to  be  a  definite  relationship  between  the  scale"  of  the  main  fa£ade 
and  the  foliage  back-ground,  while  in  some  instances,  as  in  the  case  of  Lees  Court, 
Faversham  (111.  No.  128),  the  severely  symmetrical  arrangement  would  not  allow  of 
competing  foliage. 

Apart,  however,  from  their  use  as  a  background  for  architecture,  we  shall  find  it  the 
rule  that  the  larger  trees  and  more  extensive  plantations  shall  be  kept  at  a  considerable 
distance  from  the  main  building,  and  that,  the  nearer  we  approach  to  it,  the  smaller 
the  scale  of  plant  employed  should  be.  Even  a  broad  grass  avenue  of  forest  trees, 
leading  the  eye  away  from  the  house  to  the  distant  boundary,  should  have  its  com- 
mencement at  a  sufficient  distance  from  the  mansion,  as  explained  in  the  chapter  dealing 
with  this  subject. 

In  the  days  of  Capability  Brown,  the  reverse  was  often  done  in  order  to  create  a 
false  sense  of  perspective.  The  idea  was  that,  by  planting  larger  trees  at  the  near  end 
of  a  vista  and  smaller  ones  at  the  other,  an  appearance  of  greater  distance  would  be 
obtained,  especially  if,  as  in  many  cases,-  a  summer-house  or  other  erection  to  a  reduced 
scale  were  placed  at  the  far  end  of  the  view.  The  result  may  have  impressed  the 
spectator  with  its  ingenuity  on  first  beholding  it,  but  the  deception  would  become 
wearisome  on  repetition,  and  would  also  completely  spoil  the  view  of  the  house  from  the 
other  end  of  the  vista. 

Repton,  in  determining  the  scale  of  his  plantations,  adopted  a  saner  course.  His 
plan  was  to  provide  a  number  of  poles,  say  ten  feet  high,  which  were  then  held  up 


268 


PLANTING  FOR  LANDSCAPE  EFFECT. 


FIG.  346. — GROUP  OF  OAKS. 


vertically  by  workmen  in  various  positions  where  planting  was  proposed,  while  he  walked 
about  and  examined  them  from  every  point  of  view.  By  imagining  a  tree  or  group  of 
trees  the  height  of  the  poles,  or  one,  two,  three  or  four  times  their  height,  he  was 
enabled  to  judge  the  ultimate  effect  of  planting  species  which  would  attain  to  ten,  twenty, 
thirty,  or  forty  feet  high,  and  so  ensure  that  nothing  would  be  out  of  scale  from  any 

point.  It  is  hardly  necessary  to 
point  out  that,  unless  some  such 
method  is  employed,  trees  may  be 
in  scale  from  one  point  of  view 
which  will  appear  quite  out  of 
proportion  from  another. 

Suitability  and  scale  having 
very  largely  determined  what  we 
shall  plant,  it  now  remains  to 
consider  the  disposition  of  the 
plantations,  their  size  and  outline, 
and  the  arrangement  of  the  various 
trees  and  undergrowths  in  each. 

As  we  approach  the  individual 
task  we  shall  almost  invariably 
find  that  there  are  three  primary 
considerations  which  will  help  to 
determine  the  answers  to  all  these 
questions.  These  are,  the  need  for  shelter  for  the  residence  and  flower  gardens,  the 
disposition  of  existing  trees  which  must  be  incorporated  with  the  new  work,  and  the 
need  for  screening  unsightly  objects  or  giving  privacy  where  the  grounds  are  overlooked 
from  public  places.  If  we  add  to  these  three  primary  considerations  the  rule  for  planting 
which  Repton  so  well  enunciated 
when  he  said  that,  to  make  a 
garden  successful,  one  should 
"plant  the  hills  and  flood 
the  hollows,"  we  shall  probably 
find  that  the  question  of  the 
disposition  of  the  plantations  is 
very  largely  solved,  and  their  extent 
also  within  very  narrow  limits. 
That  to  plant  the  higher  ground 
and  leave  the  lower  as  open  glades, 
with  or  without  water,  is  the  right 
thing  to  do  is  obvious  for  by  so 
doing  we  increase  the  apparent 
differences  of  level  and  give  our 
trees  added  height.  The  value 
of  a  vista  down  an  open  valley 
between  wooded  banks  is  too  well 
appreciated  and  too  often  enforced 
by  the  works  of  landscape  painters  to  need  more  than  mention,  again  showing  that 
this  is  right.  The  same  course  will  determine  the  outline  of  the  plantation,  for,  where 
the  hillside  throws  out  a  spur,  the  trees  should  come  forward  and  emphasize  it,  and 
where  there  is  a  bay  of  lower  ground  between  two  spurs,  the  trees  should  recede,  thus 
giving  an  easy  flowing  line  to  the  plantation  which  cannot  fail  to  be  pleasing. 


Repton's 
methods  of 
judging 
scale. 


Disposition 
of  planta- 
tions. 


FIG.  347. — GROUP  OF  YOUNG  OAKS. 


269 


PLANTING  FOR  LANDSCAPE  EFFECT. 

Outlying  Such    a    plantation     of    forest    trees    may  often   be    greatly    helped    by    planting,     at 

groups  suitable  points,  outlying  masses  of  thorns  or  other  native   trees  of  lesser  growth,    but  this 

round  large     WOrk  should  be  done  with  extreme  care  to  ensure  that  such  groups  have  a  proper  relation 

plantations.     to  tne   mam  mass  an(j  are  not  obtrusive,  nor  of  sufficient  size  to  compete  with  it.      The 

greatest  care  will  have  to  be   taken  too  that  they  do  not   obstruct   the  sweeping  lines  of 

a  vista  or  break  the  continuity  of  the  greensward.      Planting  more  often  fails   aesthetically 

from    this    cause    than    from    any    other,    trees    being   dotted    about    on    open    lawns    and 

grass  glades  in   an   irritating   and   meaningless   manner. 

Such  outlying  groups  are  particularly  useful  where  the  plantations,  though  probably 
originally  planted  for  artistic  effect,  have  been  enclosed  within  a  thorn  or  beech  hedge 
in  order  to  make  better  cover  for  game.  Such  a  hedge  cannot  but  look  hard  and  inci- 
sive, and  masses  of  thorn,  gorse  or  broom  planted  outside  it  to  break  its  line  and  conceal 
it  at  those  points  where  it  tends  to  be  most  intrusive,  are  invaluable.  Along  the  Dee- 


FIG.     348. — GROUP     OF     LONDON     PLANE     IN     HYDE     PARK. 

side  in   Aberdeenshire  Nature  has   effected  this  arrangement  unaided,  colonies  of  self-sown 
silver   birch   flanking   the   Scotch    fir   plantations   on    the    hillsides. 

Small  Besides   the   large   plantation    and   its   outlying   spurs,   we   may   have   the   small   group 

groups  of  of  timber  trees.  That  these  have  a  distinct  charm  of  their  own  will  be  at  once  seen  by 
forest  trees,  reference  to  the  several  photographs  of  such  arrangements  which  are  given  (111.  Nos. 
346  to  349).  Even  where  such  groups  are  planted  in  a  symmetrical  manner,  Nature 
achieves  a  large  measure  of  success  in  giving  them  a  pleasing  outline,  as  may  be  seen 
from  illustration  No.  349,  but,  of  course,  if  they  are  originally  planted  more  as  they 
would  grow  if  self  sown,  a  better  and  more  natural  effect  must  result.  Repton  recom- 
mended making  a  wide  hole  and  planting  half-a-dozen  trees  of  one  species  in  it,  one 
foot  apart,  and  leaving  them  to  fight  it  out  for  themselves  as  to  which  should  take  the 
lead,  and,  although  to  do  this  in  every  case  would  look  rather  obvious  when  repeated 
indefinitely,  still  they  may  be  planted  near  enough  together  to  form  one  homogene- 
ous mass  of  foliage,  and  preferably  in  odd  or  indivisible  numbers  to  each  group,  so 


270 


PLANTING  FOR  LANDSCAPE  EFFECT. 


that  we   may  have   that    greatest    of    all    the  charms  of    natural    foliage,    balance    without 
symmetry. 

The  plan  of  a  portion  of  the  home  park  at  Little  Onn  Hall,  Staffordshire  (111.  No.  Outline. 
350),  demonstrates  how  the  principles  discussed  may  be  applied  to  an  individual  instance. 
The  radiating  lines  show  the  angle  included  in  various  views  which  it  is  the  object  of 
the  plantations  to  frame  and  emphasize.  In  this  case,  as  the  site  is  very  flat,  there 
was  an  opportunity  for  constructing  fine  avenues,  but  for  several  reasons,  the  chief  of  which 
was  a  desire  to  take  advantage  of  some  planting  done  a  few  years  ago,  the  method 
shown  was  adopted. 
These  plantations  have 
all  curved  outlines,  and 
this  is  the  most  usual 
form,  but  it  is  not  by 
any  means  necessary 
that  this  should  always 
be  so.  While  the  round 
"  clump  "  and  the 
straight  thin  "  belt," 
which  were  the  stock 
forms  of  plantation  a 
hundred  years  ago,  are 
alike  hideous,  instances 
will  arise  both  in  the 
garden  and  park  where 
any  but  a  straight  edge 
to  a  plantation  would 
be  artificial  and  affected. 
In  such  a  case  any 
stiffness  can  easily  be 
prevented  by  the 
arrangement  of  the 
trees,  here  receding  from 
the  edge  and  there,  with 
their  branches  sweeping 
out  over  the  grass  or 
roadway  which  borders  it. 

Having  determined 
the  outlines  of  the 
various  plantations  and 
the  general  silhouette 
of  the  foliage  which  it 
is  desired  to  obtain 
in  each  instance, 


we 


OS  PLflNTED 

FIG.  349. — GROUP    OF    NINE    ELMS.        NATURE'S    TRIUMPH    OVER    A 

STIFF     ARRANGEMENT. 


have    now    to  approach 

the  arrangement  of   the 

trees   and   shrubs.      Individual   species   are   dealt   with   in   the   next   chapter,   and  here  we 

must    confine   ourselves    to    matters    of    general    application,    which    will    help    the   planter 

to    decide    for  himself  which  of  them  are   suitable   in   any   given   case. 

There  can   be  no  doubt    that  he  who   has  learnt   the   one  elementary   rule   that   trees     Planting  in 
should  be   planted  in   masses   of   one    species   and   not   a   large   number  of  different   kinds,     masses  of 
has,  to  a  large  extent,  mastered  the  theory  of  planting.      In  this  country  it  will  generally    one 


271 


PLANTING  FOR  LANDSCAPE  EFFECT. 


SjAN-SHWNG  -  ARRANGEMENT  sf  PLANTATIONS 
N  •  HOME  PK-  LITTLE  -ONN-  HALL  5TAfFQRD5HlBLf 


i  CROUP  or  oflKi 

2 

3  CflSP  LtflVCD  CLrtS 

4  5CflRLCT  AflPLC 


3COTCH  TlR.  JILYCR  BIRCH 

6  WILD  CHERRY  • 

7  nmio  ConirtRs  «no 

DCCIDCOUi  TREES 

8  Wnrrt 

9  PinK  THORH5 

10  CRflas  jortn  oownir 

LCMBflKDY  POPLflM 

12  iPflniiH     CME5TnuTS 

13  JC/1RICT 

14  TCRtl  LtflVtd   BEECH 

15  PEWVlnflflT   TlrtBER 

JCOTCM  TIR 

16  nORW/IY 

17  /*MXCD 
comrtRi 


FIG.     350. 


272 


PLANTING  FOR  LANDSCAPE  EFFECT. 


be  found  that  those  plantations  which  have  been  made  solely  with  a  view  to  timber- 
growing  and  for  utilitarian  purposes,  seldom  fail  to  satisfy  the  aesthetic  sense,  while 
those  which  are  made  specially  as  ornaments  are  not  often  completely  satisfactory.  This 
remarkable  result  is  solely  the  outcome  of  the  fact  that  the  former  plantations  are  made 
up  of  one  or  at  the  most  two  kinds  of  trees,  whereas  the  latter  are  an  unrestful  jumble 
of  all  sorts,  mostly  too  exotic  and  unusual  to  harmonize  with  their  surroundings.  The 
rule  laid  down  is  one  therefore,  which  cannot  be  too  strongly  insisted  upon. 

As  in  architecture  and,  in  fact,  in  every  art,  striking  effects  should  be  used  but 
sparingly,  and  only  at  the  chief  points  of  interest,  the  great  mass  being  restrained  in  its 
treatment,  thus  giving  added  value  to  them.  It  is  for  this  reason  that,  whether  in  the 
garden  or  park,  such  subjects  as  hybrid  rhododendrons  should  not  be  mixed  with  other 
Spring-flowering  shrubs,  as  they  are  so  striking  when  in  bloom  that  they  will  not  brook 
competition.  A  long  drift  of  one  sort,  such  as  Cunningham's  White  or  the  vivid  Frederick 
Waterer  or  Cynthia,  may  be  introduced  against  a  background  of  sober  foliage,  or  of  plants 
which  do  not  flower  till  later,  but  undoubtedly  the  best  way  is  to  treat  them  as  in  a 
class  by  themselves  and  give  them  a  glade  remote  from  the  other  portions  of  the  grounds, 
where  they  can  be  visited  when  in  bloom,  and  where 
the  monotonous  mass  of  almost  black  leaves  which  they 
will  present  for  ten  months  in  the  year  will  not  be 
obtrusive.  These  and  other  dark  shiny  and  pulpy-leaved 
exotics  should  be  used  very  sparingly  except  in  the  most 
formally  planted  borders  of  the  garden. 

The  general  lines  to  be  followed  in  arranging  a 
border  in  the  more  ornamental  portions  of  the  grounds, 
where  more  of  variety  is  in  keeping  than  would  generally 
be  the  case,  is  shown  in  illustration  No.  351,  which  is 
a  reproduction  of  part  of  a  planting  plan  prepared  by 
the  Author  some  years  ago  for  a  garden  in  North  Wales. 
Illustration  No.  352  gives  a  portion  of  it  to  a  larger  scale, 
and  on  this  are  marked  all  the  varieties  to  be  planted. 
The  undergrowths  and  nursers  are  indicated  by  numbers, 
and  the  larger  permanent  trees  by  arbitrary  signs  ;  and 
this  method  I  have  found  to  be  a  good  one,  as  it  helps 
to  ensure  that  every  part  of  the  bed  receives  its  proper 
proportion  of  both.  Of  course  in  this  case,  where  the 
plantation  is  close  to  the  residence  and  skirts  the  carriage  drive,  large  forest  trees  are 
not  required,  but  the  general  principles  of  the  arrangement  would  be  the  same,  and 
would  be  similarly  indicated,  whatever  the  scale  of  the  planting. 

Arrangement  is  largely  a  question  of  careful  observation  and  experience,  coupled 
with  an  artistic  appreciation  of  the  effect  to  be  sought,  and  that  imagination  which  will 
accompany  it  and  enable  the  planter  to  see  the  final  result  in  his  mind's  eye  from  the 
outset.  Do  not  let  the  thought  that  you  are  planting  for  posterity  deter  you  from 
making  the  most  of  the  opportunity  in  this  direction  ;  at  the  least  you  have  the 
pleasures  of  anticipation,  and,  even  though  you  may  not  live  to  see  the  oak  sapling  a 
gnarled  and  weather-beaten  monarch  of  the  forest,  it  is  wonderful  what  can  be 
produced  in  a  very  short  time  if  large  and  healthy  nursery  stock  be  used  to  commence 
with.  Of  course  it  is  possible  to  move  trees  of  any  size — in  fact,  yews  mentioned  in  the 
Doomsday  Book  have  been  successfully  transplanted  under  the  Author's  direction,  but  it 
is  too  expensive  and  tedious  a  process  to  be  done  on  a  large  scale. 

The  best  advice  that  can  be  given  to  the  tyro  is  to  study  all  those  groupings  and 
arrangements  which  appeal  to  his  aesthetic  sense,  and  to  make  copious  notes  and  sketches 


FIG.     351. 


Restraint. 


Example  of 

ornamental 

border. 


Rapidly 
attained 
effect. 


273 


PLANTING  FOR  LANDSCAPE  EFFECT. 

Study  of          for   future  use.      He   will  begin  by  noting  how  beautiful  the  white  stem  of  a  silver  birch 

existing  looks  against  a  background  of   Scotch   fir,  and  how  the  russet  leaves  of  beech  scrub  and 

examples.        the  dark   green   of  holly  give  a   pleasing  contrast   in   the  Winter  months,   especially  when 

snow   is   on    the   ground,    and   he   will   go   forward   from   these   most   obvious   and   striking 

lessons  to  note  hundreds  of  factors  which  will  provide  useful  material  for  his  special  work. 

|          American   University   students,   who  take    the    course  in    landscape   design,  are  taught 

!  to    make    records    of    the   elementals    of    convincing    schemes,  roughly   drawn    to    scale    by 

^means   of   a   rapid  military   surveying   instrument   known   as   the   plane   table,    which   is   so 

Eight  and  handy  as  to  be  capable  of  being  carried  anywhere.      The  distances  are  carefully 

stepped   out   which   will  give   them   with   sufficient   approximation   for  the  purpose. 

Winter  This  systematic  study  of  existing  examples  must   be  carried  out  at  all  seasons  to  be 

effects.  of  any  value,   for,  of  course,  it  is  necessary  to  provide  for  the  Winter  as   well  as  for  the 

Summer  effect.  This  means  that  we  must  make  a  judicious  use  of  conifers  and  ever- 
greens, always  remembering,  that  while  the  larger  plantations  in  the  home  park  or  middle 
distance  rely  for  their  chief  effects  almost  entirely  on  form  and  outline  and  their  relation 


DETAILS  or  FWlTATIOriS  ^QL- 


IvBY  TO  DisTfflMiBino  tvuas,  o 


0  iCflR|CT    OflKS 

x    .SILVER  BIRCH 
'3wctT 
DOUBLE    fipwf.Rinc  CHEKW 

JOtlM   OOWMIC    CRAB 

1  3nowv 
SCARLET  /WLC.S 

O       TCRn   LEAVCB 

X      CUTLEAVCD  SI1VCR  OlRCH 

D    COCIWUR   THORMS 


FIG.      352. 

to  the  general  composition  of  the  view,  those  close  to  the  house  will  be  more  dependent 
on  colour  and  detail.  Their  Winter  effects  will  therefore  need  special  attention,  and  a 
careful  and  discriminating  use  must  be  made  of  those  evergreens  and  conifers  with  brightly- 
coloured  or  glaucous  foliage,  and  hardy  Winter-flowering  varieties.  Those  bearing  brightly- 
coloured  berries  will  also  be  useful,  such  as  Pernettya  mucronata,  Cotoneaster  horizontalis, 
C.  macrophylla,  C.  Simmonsi,  Berberis  stenophylla,  B.  Darwini,  Symphoricarpus  racemosus, 
Cratsegus  Lelandi  and  Skimmia  japonica,  while,  if  there  is  ample  space,  mountain  ash, 
tree  thorns,  the  red  and  yellow  berried  hollies,  the  fire  thorn  and  the  cockspur  thorn  may 
also  be  used. 

• 

In  the  park  and  landscape  plantations,  those  trees  which  have  ever  been  the  joy 
plantations.  and  pride  of  lovers  of  English  landscape  should  predominate.  The  oak,  elm,  ash,  beech, 
sycamore  and  birch  are  still  the  trees  to  choose  from  for  the  greater  effects,  with  the 
tall  Lombardy  poplar  to  break  the  sky-line  at  well-selected  points,  either  as  a  single 
specimen  rising  from  behind  the  other  trees  or  in  groups  of  three.  For  attendants,  and 
especially  for  the  margins  of  the  plantations  and  to  skirt  woodland  paths,  we  have  the 


274 


PLANTING  FOR  LANDSCAPE  EFFECT. 


Qf- 


thorn,  crab,  wild,  cherry,  willow  and  spindle  tree.  For  Winter  effects  we  should  plant 
those  evergreens  which  age  picturesquely,  such  as  Scotch  fir,  cedar  of  Lebanon,  yew  and 
holly  in  preference  to  the  youthfully  showy  spruce  firs,  Austrian  pines,  Indian  cedars  and 
Lawson's  cypress,  which  belong  to  the  garden  proper,  and  not  the  parklands. 

In  the  latter  position  it  is  even  more  necessary  than  elsewhere  to  plant  in  masses 
of  one  sort.  Beeches  by  themselves  form  a  splendid  group,  as  do  oak,  elm,  sycamore, 
horse  chestnut,  Norway  maple,  cherry,  thorn,  etc.,  while  the  effect  of  a  few  Scotch 
firs  standing  on  a  bluff  rocky  spur,  in  both  Winter  and  Summer,  is  well  shown  by  the 
two  photographs  of  Brathay  Craggs  on  the  shore  of  Windermere  given  in  illustrations 
Nos.  4  and  5. 

When  plantations  are  first  formed,  it  is  best  to  plant  quick-growing  trees  and 
undergrowths  somewhat  thickly  amongst  the  permanent  trees,  to  act  as  nursers,  and 
give  the  former  shelter  until  they  are  well  established.  The  latter  will,  of  course,  be 
cut  out  by  degrees,  as  the  permanent  subjects  need  more  room  for  growth  and  expansion. 

If  the  park  is  to  be  grazed  by  cattle  it  will  be  necessary  to  fence  the  plantations, 
special  care  being  taken  that  they  cannot  reach  and  feed 
on  yews,  as  these  are  a  deadly  poison,  though  greedily 
eaten  by  all  forms  of  farm  stock.  The  best  fence  is  that 
which  is  least  conspicuous  without  being  flimsy,  and,  for 
most  positions,  I  have  seen  nothing  better  than  strong 
iron  hurdles.  These  may  be  rendered  still  more  incon- 
spicuous by  planting  outside  them  hollies  and  other  things 
which  the  cattle  will  not  touch,  as  described  in  speaking 
of  the  form  the  plantation  should  take.  Within  the  fence, 
the  trees  should  not  be  planted  in  any  regular  pattern, 
and  covert  plants,  such  as  yew,  holly,  dogwood,  privet  and 
mahonia,  may  be  scattered  at  irregular  intervals  towards 
the  margin,  and,  at  times,  recede  far  into  the  plantation. 

The  best  way  to  obtain  the  effect  of  wild  primeval 
woodland  and  avoid  all  suggestion  of  artificiality  is  to 
prepare  the  ground  and  sow  liberally  those  native  trees 
which  can  be  raised  from  seed,  replenishing  the  sowings 
every  fourth  year  to  atone  for  the  depredations  of  birds 
and  vermin.  This  is  of  course  a  very  lengthy  process,  and 
often  the  subsequent  thinning,  if  unskilfully  done,  will  leave  a  stiffer  effect  than  if  the 
ground  had  been  planted  in  the  usual  way. 

Wherever  new  plantations  are  to  be  formed,  whether  in  the  garden,  park  or  moorland, 
the  ground  should  be  properly  trenched  and  prepared.*  This  may  at  first  sight  seem 
needless  expense,  but  practical  experience  of  planting  both  with  and  without  trenching 
abundantly  proves  that  the  extra  cost  is  far  more  than  compensated  for  by  the  greater 
rapidity  with  which  the  trees  and  shrubs  take  root  and  grow,  and  the  permanent  effect 
of  their  appearance  which  results.  Greater  care  will,  of  course,  be  necessary  in  preparing 
beds  for  choice  shrubs  in  the  garden  than  in  the  case  of  those  for  plantations  in  the 
park,  both  as  regards  depth  of  soil  and  the  amount  of  peat  and  manure  added  ;  but 
both  should  be  thoroughly  trenched.  How  the  surface  of  the  bed  should  be  shaped 
is  clearly  shown  by  comparing  the  plan  and  sections  of  a  small  plantation  given  in 
illustration  No.  353. 

When  planting  single  specimen  trees,  either  in  the  park  or  on  the  lawn,  the  mistake 
is  often  made  of  forcing  the  roots  into  a  hole  which  is  far  too  deep  and  narrow.  Instead 
of  this  a  broad  hole  should  be  made  and  a  layer  of  top-spit  from  a  pasture  mixed  with 

*  For   a   description   of   trenching,   see   Chapter   XV. 


353- 


Fencing 

park 

plantations. 


Wild 

natural 

effects. 


Prepara- 
tion of 
ground  for 
plantations. 


275 


Planting 
specimen 
trees. 


Tree 

guards. 


Arrange- 
ments of 
the  units  in 
a  planta- 
tion. 


PLANTING  FOR  LANDSCAPE  EFFECT. 

a  little  well-rotted  manure  (never  raw  manure)  or  leaf  mould  placed  in  the  bottom. 
On  this  the  roots  of  the  tree  should  be  spread  out  in  a  natural  manner,  and  the  stake 
to  which  the  tree  is  to  be  tied  well  driven  in,  while  there  is  no  danger  of  driving  it 
into  the  roots  as  there  would  be  if  it  is  put  in  as  an  after- thought.  The  hole  may  then 
be  filled  up  with  the  same  mixture  of  turf,  mould  and  manure,  and  well  trodden  down, 
and,  if  at  all  dry,  watered  freely.  The  turf  may  be  relaid  over  the  whole  of  the  roots 
except  for  a  distance  of  eighteen  inches  round  the  stem,  which  should  be  kept  clear  of 
grass  until  the  tree  has  become  thoroughly  established. 

It  is  better  that  the  crown  of  the  roots  should  stand  up  above  the  surface  a  little 
than  that  the  stem  should  be  buried.  If  only  a  few  inches  are  covered,  the  tree  will 
surfer  seriously,  while,  if  buried  deeply,  it  will  almost  certainly  die  within  a  few  years. 
Some  trees,  such  as  poplars  and  willows,  form  fresh  roots  if  not  too  deeply  buried,  but 
the  majority  of  other  kinds  eventually  succumb  to  fungoid  attacks  between  the  surface 
of  the  ground  and  the  roots. 

In  the  home  park,  specimen  trees  will  have  to  be  guarded,  and  this  is  best  done 
by  three  or  four  stout  posts  driven  into  the  ground  and  connected  by  rails  at  a  sufficient 
distance  from  the  stem  to  keep  cattle  from  browsing  on  the  smaller  twigs.  Trees  with 
pendulous  branches  sweeping  the  ground  are  not,  for  this  reason,  suited  to  park  planting. 
Instead,  those  with  strong  clean  stems  from  eight  to  ten  feet  high,  with  the  branches 
rising  above  this  height,  are  to  be  preferred. 

It  is  impossible  to  lay  down  even  approximate  rules  for  general  application  as  to 
the  distances  apart  at  which  trees  should  be  planted.  While,  on  the  one  hand,  in  the 
open  country,  half-a-dozen  beech  may  monopolize  half-an-acre  of  land,  in  a  smoky 
district,  a  large  number  of  such  things  as  will  grow  would  be  necessary  to  furnish  the 
same  area.  Circumstances  will  differ  in  every  case,  and  it  can  only  be  repeated  that 
any  formality  or  spottiness  in  the  arrangement  should  be  studiously  avoided.  It  is 
related  of  Robert  Marnock  that  he  once  horrified  an  up-to-date  forester  by  taking  a 
bundle  of  Scotch  firs  and  throwing  them  with  all  his  strength  broadcast,  requesting  him 
to  plant  each  on  the  exact  spot  where  it  happened  to  fall.  Downing,  too,  in  his  book 
on  landscape  gardening  says,  "  A  friend  of  ours  at  Northampton,  who  is  a  most  zealous 
'  planter,  related  to  us  a  diverting  expedient  to  which  he  was  obliged  to  resort,  in  order 
'  to  ensure  irregular  groups.  Busily  engaged  in  arranging  plantations  of  young  trees  on 
"  his  lawn,  he  was  hastily  obliged  to  leave  home,  and  intrust  the  planting  of  the  groups 
"to  some  common  garden  labourers,  whose  ideas  he  could  not  raise  to  a  point  sufficiently 
"  high  to  appreciate  any  beauty  in  plantations,  unless  made  in  regular  forms  and  straight 
"  lines.  '  Being  well  aware,'  says  our  friend,  '  that  if  left  to  themselves  I  should  find 
"  all  my  trees,  on  my  return,  in  hollow  squares  or  circular  clumps,  I  hastily  threw  up  a 
"  peck  of  potatoes  into  the  air,  one  by  one,  and  directed  my  workmen  to  plant  a  tree 
"  where  every  potato  fell  !  Thus,  if  I  did  not  attain  the  maximum  of  beauty  in  group- 
"  ing,  I  at  least  had  something  not  so  offensive  as  geometrical  figures.'  ' 

This  was  written  when  popular  taste  was  suffering  the  inevitable  reaction  from 
Capability  Brown's  clumps  and  belts,  and  it  is  impossible  to  take  it  literally,  but 
it  points  the  way  to  the  method  on  which  naturally  arranged  plantations  should  be 
constructed. 


276 


U 
< 


CHAPTER     XVIII 

The  arrangement  of  plantations,  groups  and  single  trees  having  been  dealt  with, 
and  the  power  they  exercise  in  imparting  character  to  the  garden  and  landscape  discussed, 
it  is  now  purposed  to  give  a  list  of  the  most  useful  kinds  of  trees  for  the  various 
plantations,  with  a  few  descriptive  notes,  and  some  indication  of  the  conditions  under 
which  they  luxuriate.  Before  proceeding  to  the  actual  lists,  there  are,  however,  a  few 
important  considerations,  already  referred  to,  which  may  with  advantage  be  emphasized, 
because  upon  their  observance  depends,  to  a  large  extent,  the  pleasure  derivable  from 
foliage  and  woodland  scenery. 

The  following  lists  do  not  pretend  to  any  degree  of  completeness,  nor  do  they  include 
all  trees  worthy  of  a  position  in  the  garden  or  park  ;  much  less  it  is  suggested  that 
each  garden  should  be  planted  with  the  same  varieties  of  trees  and  shrubs,  for  the 
result  would  be  to  reduce  their  decoration  to  such  a  degree  of  sameness  as  to  create 
monotony.  Each  garden  should  have  individual  treatment  bestowed  upon  it,  and  in 
no  department  is  this  so  necessary  as  in  the  choice  and  arrangement  of  trees  and  shrubs. 
The  lists  are,  therefore,  merely  first  aids  to  those  about  to  plant  or  lay  out  gardens. 

To  make  the  selection  of  trees  and  shrubs  for  various  situations  more  simple,  they 
are  classified  so  far  as  possible  under  several  headings,  as  deciduous  trees,  hardy  conifers, 
&c.,  and  the  following  abbreviations  are  affixed  to  those  which,  in  addition  to  their  general 
use,  are  suitable  for  growing  under  special  conditions,  as  : —  S,  trees  and  shrubs  for 
seaside  planting  ;  T,  for  town  and  suburban  gardens  ;  P,  those  which  thrive  best  on 
peat,  or  on  soil  where  lime  is  absent  ;  U,  varieties  suitable  for  under-growths  and 
planting  in  shady  places.  All,  of  course,  succeed  in  the  more  favoured  districts. 

To  ensure  correct  nomenclature,  I  have  followed  as  far  as  possible  the  authority 
of  the  "  Kew  Hand  Lists."  I  have  also  given  in  many  cases  the  common  names  by 
which  they  are  familiarly  known,  as  well  as  synonyms.  This  I  feel  will  assist  a  purchaser 
when  selecting  plants  from  the  nurseries. 

It   will  also   be  seen   that,    in   some  cases,   such   as   in    Acer   and    Prunus,    that    rather     General 
lengthy  notes  are  made.      My   reason    for   this    is    to    try   to  induce  intending  planters  to     Principles. 
use   more    of    these    beautiful    trees    than    has    been    the    case    in    the    past. 

The  conditions   under  which  they   are   to   be   used  may  be   summarised   as   follows  : — 

1.  That    trees    and    shrubs   which    are    indigenous,    or     those    which     have    been 
introduced    into    this    country,    and    are    allied     to    and    succeed     as    well    as    native 
varieties,  should   be   preferred    to    those  which  only  remind   us   of   foreign  countries   or 
are    simply  freaks    of   Nature. 

2.  That  the  proportion  of   deciduous  trees  and  flowering  plants  should,   in  most 
cases,    exceed    that    of    evergreen    shrubs    and    trees.      This   is,    however,    to    a   certain 


279 


TREES  AND  SHRUBS  FOR  GARDEN  AND  PARK. 

General  extent,    a    question    of    locality.      A    seaside    garden,    for    instance,    requires    a    larger 

Principles.  proportion   of   evergreens  than   an   inland  garden.       The  same   rule   applies   to  gardens 

situated    in    districts    where    white    chalk    or    limestone    gives    tone    and    character    to 

the    district. 

3.  That    whilst    conifers    may,    under    certain    conditions,    be    fitting    objects    for 
the   garden,    especially    when    used    as    formal    trees    on    the    terrace,    they    are   seldom 
satisfactory    when    mixed    with    native    trees    in    the    park     or    home-landscape  ;     an 
exception    to    this    rule    may   be    made    in    favour    of    Pinus    sylvestris,    the    "  Scotch 
pine,"  which  is  effective  when  planted  in  masses  or  in  conjunction  with   Betula   alba, 
the  common  or   silver   birch. 

4.  That   collections   of    trees,    shrubs,    or    conifers   might    be   arranged    in    such   a 
way   as   to   display   the   intention    to   possess   a   choice   variety   of   one   particular   class 
of    plants. 


^l»pfeHll5i!i 


FIG.     355. — VILLA     GARDEN     AT     WHITEHILL,     BERKHAMSTED. 

5.  That     certain    trees    are    to    be     avoided     as    inimical    to    the    effect     which 
plantations    or    groups    of    shrubs    should    give.      Thus    the    free    use    of     Cupressus 
Lawsoniana  and  Araucaria   imbricata,  or  monkey-puzzle,  is  usually  undesirable.     Again, 
when   a  garden   is   favourably  situated   in   a   district  where  most   subjects   thrive,  avoid 
planting   shrubs   such   as    Aucuba   japonica    and    golden    elders,   which    are    reminiscent 
of    a    smoky    atmosphere. 

6.  That  flowering  trees  and  shrubs  deserve  to  be  much  more  largely  planted  than 
they  are   at   present  ;   this  rule  refers  more  particularly  to  those  old-fashioned  varieties 
that  are  sometimes  spoken  of  as  being  common.       Amongst  these  may  be  mentioned 
Laburnum,    Syringa,    Philadelphus,    Ribes,    Deutzia,    Viburnum,    Diervilla,    and   shrubby 
Spiraea,    most    of    which    bear    not    only   beautiful    but    also    fragrant    flowers. 

7.  That   dotting  a  lawn   all  over  with   specimen   trees   is   a   doubtful   expedient, 


280 


TREES  AND  SHRUBS  FOR  GARDEN  AND  PARK. 


and  one  which  more  often  detracts  from,  than  adds  to,  the  effect  of  the  garden, 
since  breadth  of  effect  is  generally  destroyed  when  trees  are  planted  in  this  way. 
Allied  to  this  is  the  doubtful  practice  of  planting  "  commemoration  trees "  by 
celebrities,  or  to  commemorate  some  family  event.  Planted  often  in  an  unsuitable 
situation  and  in  warm  weather,  and  having  been  coddled  and  fed  for  the  occasion, 
in  a  few  years  they  dwindle  to  wretched  disfiguring  skeletons.  If  such  trees  are 
planted,  select  an  oak,  or,  if  an  evergreen  is  desired,  a  Holm  oak. 

8.  That    indiscriminate    mixing   of   shrubs   is    to    be   avoided    and    that    character 
and    scale    of    foliage    should    be    observed.       Thus    Rhododendrons    look    best    when 
grouped   in    very   large    masses,    but    Azaleas    may    successfully   be  planted   in  smaller 
beds    with    Kalmias,    Dabceciae   and   Alpine   Rhododendrons. 

9.  That   it    is    possible    to    over-plant    a    garden,    and   so    destroy    its    breadth    ol 
aspect.      Illustration  No.  355   shows  how  little  planting   is   required  in  many  gardens. 

10.  That    it   is   well   to   remember,  when   purchasing   trees   and   shrubs,   that   those 
which  appear  to  be  the  most  thriving  and  healthy  in  the  nurseries  are  probably  those 
which    have   stood   the   longest    time   un-transplanted,    and    that   recently    transplanted 
shrubs   do   not  appear  nearly  so  robust   and  vigorous,   but    are    much   safer   to   move. 

ACER. — A.  PSEUDO-PLATANUS,  the  "  Sycamore,"  is  one  of  the  hardiest  as  well  as  the 
most  handsome  of  British  trees ;  it  is  valuable  for  planting  as  wind  screens  in 
exposed  situations,  for  forming  large  masses  of  foliage,  or  for  avenues.  It  grows 
quickly,  and  fairly  large  trees  are  procurable  from  most  nurseries.  There  are 
numerous  varieties  worthy  of  a  place  in  parks  and  gardens.  A.  p. -p.  flavo- 
marginatum,  known  as  the  "  Corstorphine  Plane,"  with  variegated  foliage  ;  A. 
palmatum  atropurpureum,  a  purple  form  ;  A.  p.  Prinz  Handjery,  and  A.  p.  Nizeti  are 
among  the  best.  T.S. 

A.  PLATANOIDES,  the  "  Norway  Maple,"  with  its  delicate  green  tints  in  the  Spring, 
turning  yellow  in  Autumn,  is  particularly  effective.  The  varieties  Reitenbachii, 
purpureum,  palmatum,  and  Schwedlerii  are  distinctly  characteristic. 

A.  CAMPESTRE,  the  common  "  European  Maple,"  has  five-lobed  leaves,  and  when 
planted  with  A.  c.  variegatum  a  good  contrast  is  obtained.  There  is  also  a  golden 
form,  sold  under  various  names. 

A.  DASYCARPUM,  the  "  Silver  Maple,"  is  most  valuable,  forming  as  it  does  a 
specimen  tree  of  a  more  or  less  pendulous  habit. 

A.  NEGUNDO,  the  "  Box  Elder,"  with  the  varieties  californicum  aureum  and 
variegatum,  is  decorative,  and  only  suitable  for  gardens. 

A.  PICTUM  is  a  distinct  form,  and  in  the  variety  A.  p.  rubrum  (syn.  A.  colchicum 
rubrum)  the  young  stems  and  leaves  are  a  bright  crimson  colour.  Another  fine 
variety  is  A.  p.  aureum.  A.  macrophyllum,  the  "  Californian  Maple";  monspessulanum, 
the  "  Montpelier  Maple  ;  "  and  saccharinum,  the  "  Sugar  Maple,"  are  good  species  ; 
while  the  beautiful  Japanese  Maples,  A.  japonicum  and  A.  palmatum,  with  their  fine 
cut-leaved  varieties,  are  useful  as  low-growing  forms  of  this  genus,  suitable  for 
sheltered  parts  of  the  garden  but  not  for  the  park. 

^ESCULUS. — JE.  HIPPOCASTANUM,  the  "  Horse  Chestnut,"  may  be  seen  on  every  estate. 
It  is  suitable  for  use  in  large  avenues  or  for  clumps  in  the  park,  or  singly,  as  in 
illustration  No.  357  with  the  characteristic  play  of  light  on  the  foliage.  Both  in 
Spring  when  in  flower,  and  in  Autumn  when  the  foliage  has  assumed  its  resplendent 
glowing  tint,  it  forms  a  prominent  feature  in  the  landscape.  There  are  several  other 
forms  which  commend  themselves  both  for  lawn  or  landscape ;  they  are  IE.  carnea, 
the  "  Red  Horse  Chestnut ;  "  IE.  californica  ;  IE.  indica,  the  "  Indian  Horse  Chestnut ;  " 
IE.  flava,  the  "Sweet  Buckeye;"  IE.  Pavia  (syn.  Pavia  rubra),  the  "  Red  Buckeye;" 
IE.  turbinata,  and  IE.  parviflora  (syn.  Pavia  macrostachya).  T. 


General 
Principles. 


Deciduous 
trees. 


281 


TREES  AND  SHRUBS  FOR  GARDEN  AND  PARK. 

Deciduous       AILANTHUS. — A.    GLANDULOSA    ("Tree    of    Heaven")    makes    a    well-furnished    specimen 
trees.  tree    when    planted    as    a    bush.     It   is    equally    serviceable    as    a    standard    on    long, 

clean   stems   six   to   eight    feet   high,    pruned   to    form    a   good    head  ;    the   flowers   are 
inconspicuous,     but    the    fruits    are    bright-coloured    and    effective. 

ALNUS. — ALNUS  GLUTINOSA,  the  "  Common  Alder,"  has  few  equals  for  planting  near  the 
seaside  or  on  waterlogged  land.  A  fine  group  of  Alnus,  profuse  in  catkins, 
overhanging  the  margin  of  river  or  lake,  is  superb.  A.  g.  aurea  (golden),  A.  g. 
imperialis,  and  A.  g.  laciniata,  cut-leaved  forms,  are  effective.  A.  incana,  the 
"  Speckled  Alder  ;  "  A.  maritima,  the  "  Seaside  Alder  ;  "  A.  rhombifolia,  the  "  White 
Alder,"  and  A.  serrulata,  the  "  Smooth  Alder,"  form  very  useful  subjects.  T.S. 

AMYGDALUS.       See    Prunus. 

BEECH.       See    Fagus. 

BETULA    (Birch).      BETULA   ALBA,   the   common    Birch,    is    one    of   the    few    trees    which 


FIG.     356. — A     SPANISH     CHESTNUT. 

never  seem  inappropriate.  Its  silvery  appearance  and  graceful  pendulous  habit 
adapt  it  to  any  position.  The  following  are  forms  worthy  of  mention  :  B.  a. 
pendula  Youngii,  "  Young's  Weeping  Birch  ;  "  B.  a.  purpurea  and  B.  a.  dalecarica  ; 
B.  lenta,  the  "  Cherry  Birch  ;  "  B.  lutea,  the  "  Yellow  Birch  ;  "  B.  nigra  (syn. 

B.  rubra)   "  Red   Birch  ;  "  and   the   beautiful  white-stemmed   B.  papyracea,  the  "  Canoe 
or   Paper    Birch."     The   pendulous   forms    can   be  effectively  placed  near   a    stream    or 
by  the  margin  of  a  lake,  while  groups  of  any  of  the  species   on   a  hillside,  especially 
when    in    conjunction    with    Pinus    sylvestris,    are    charming.     T. 

CARPINUS.      C.   BETULUS,   the   "  Hornbeam,"   is   the   type   of  a  useful   ornamental   genus. 
The  most    notable    forms    are  C.   b.   aspenifolia,   C.   b.   columnaris,    C.   b.   pendula    and 

C.  b.  pyramidalis,  while    C.    caroliniana,    the   "  American    Hornbeam,  "  C.    laxiflora   and 
C.   cordata,    from   Japan,    are    good    species. 

CARYA.      A  genus  of  ornamental   trees  related  to   the  Walnuts,   with  bold   foliage  which 
turns    a    fine    yellow    colour    in    the    autumn.       C.    alba    the    "  Shell-bark    Hickory  ;  " 


282 


TREES  AND  SHRUBS  FOR  GARDEN  AND  PARK. 

C.    sulcata,    the    "  Big    Shell-bark  ;  "    C.    amara,    the     '  Bitter-Nut  ; "    C.    porcina,    the     Deciduous 
"  Pig-Nut,"   make    a    good   show    in    the    park    when    planted    in   groups   of    three   or     trees. 
five. 
CASTANEA.     C.  VULGARIS,  the  "Sweet  or  Spanish  Chestnut,"  makes  a  huge  tree  suitable 

for    the    park    (111.  No.  356) .      There    are    numerous    varieties    of    the    type. 
CATALPA.      The  most   common  species  met  with  is  C.   bignonioides,   the  "  Indian  Bean " 
(syn.   C.  syringsefolia),   which    bears   large   panicles  of  white  flowers  tinged  with  violet, 
spotted  with  purple  and  yellow.     It  is   an  excellent  specimen  tree   for   a  lawn,  also  as 
a  standard  on  the  sheltered  side  of  a  walk,  and  grows  to  a  height  of    more  than  thirty 
feet.    The  species  C.  Bungei,  C.  cordifolia  and  C.  Kaempferi  are  useful  and  interesting. 
CHERRY.       See    Prunus. 
CHESTNUT.       See    ^Esculus    and    Castanea. 

CRAT^EGUS.  One  of  the  finest  of  the  ornamental  genera,  comprising  trees  ranging 
from  twenty  to  thirty  feet  in  height,  while  other  forms  have  a  more  shrubby  habit. 
CRAT^EGUS  OXYACANTHA,  the  "  Hawthorn,"  is  the  type,  and  recommends  itself. 
There  is  a  division  into  two  sub-species,  C.  monogyna  and  C.  oxyacanthoides.  Under 
the  former,  C.  monogyna-prsecox,  the  "  Glastonbury  Thorn,"  is  a  conspicuous  form, 
beginning  to  flower  in  November  and  forward  into  March  ;  C.  m.  pendula,  C.  m.  aurea, 
and  C.  m.  laciniata  are  distinct  varieties  ;  while  sub-species  C.  oxyacanthoides  is 
represented  by  C.  o.  fructu  luteo,  with  yellow  fruit  ;  C.  o.  fl.  pi.  coccineo  ;  C.  o.  fl.  pi. 
albo,  and  C.  o.  fl.  pi.  piniceo.  C.  crus-galli,  the  "  Cockspur  or  Newcastle  Thorn,"  and 
its  varieties,  are  the  pride  of  the  landscape  in  the  Autumn.  C.  crus-galli  prunifolia 
and  splendens  C.  o.  surpass  all  other  in  richness  of  colour. 

Amongst  the  distinct  species  are  C.  mollis;  C.  cordata,  the  "  Washington  Thorn  ;  " 
C.  coccinea,  the  "Scarlet  Haw;  "  and  C.  flava,  the  "Yellow  Haw."  C.  Pyracantha  and 
C.  P.  Lelandi,  are  used  largely  for  covering  walls,  also  to  make  a  border  gay  in 
Winter.  This  genus  is  suitable  for  any  situation,  and  most  of  the  species  and 
varieties  are  worthy  of  places  in  the  park  or  on  the  outskirts  of  the  lawn. 
FAGUS  (Beech).  FAGUS  SYLVATICA,  the  common  Beech,  has  very  few  equals  for  an 
avenue.  Unfortunately  it  does  not  grow  quite  so  rapidly  at  first  as  many  trees,  and 
it  is  often  difficult  to  obtain  large  plants  from  the  nurseries.  It  succeeds  best  on 
land  with  a  gravel  or  chalk  subsoil.  The  following  are  some  of  the  best  varieties  : 
F.  s.  atropurpurea,  the  "  Purple  Beech  ;  "  F.  s.  cuprea,  the  "  Copper  Beech  ;  "  F.  s. 
purpurea  pendula,  the  "  Weeping  Purple  Beech  ; "  F.  s.  Zlatia,  the  "  Golden  Beech  ;  " 
and  F.  s.  heterophylla,  or  fern-leaved  Beech. 

FRAXINUS    (Ash).      F.   EXCELSIOR,   the   "  Common    Ash,"    is    the   type.      The   pendulous 

forms   can   seldom   be   used   with    advantage,   unless    a  green   bower   is   required,   when 

they    are    excellent.     F.  e.    pendula,    the    "  Weeping    Ash,"    is    the    pendulous    variety 

most  often  met  with  ;  F.  Ornus,  the  "  Manna  Ash  ;  "  F.  americana,  the  "  White  Ash  ;  " 

and    F.  nigra,  the  "  Black    Ash,"  are    some    of    the    other   more    distinct    species.     T.S. 

GLEDITSCHIA.       G.    TRIACANTHOS,    the    "  Honey    Locust,"    is    a    leguminous    tree    with 

large   prickly    spines   introduced  from    North    America  ;     the    leaves    are    pinnate    and 

deciduous.     G.  monosperma,  the  "Water  Locust,"  is  another  specimen  from  the  United 

States,  while   China  and  Japan    furnish   several  very  distinct    forms   with   fine   foliage. 

JUGLANS.       J.    REGIA,    the    "  Common    Walnut,"    is    the    type.     It  is    an    excellent    tree 

for    large    parks. 

LABURNUM.  L.  VULGARE,  the  "  Common  Laburnum,"  is  one  of  the  most  useful  of 
flowering  trees.  Laburnums  are  usually  grown  as  standards,  with  a  clean  stem  for 
about  five  to  six  feet  from  the  ground,  or  they  may  be  often  used  in  positions 
where  a  low  screen  of  trees  is  required.  They  are  useful  for  growing  amongst 
other  trees  and  shrubs,  and  stand  shade,  and  flourish  by  the  sea  or  in  a  smoky 

283 


Deciduous 
trees. 


TREES  AND  SHRUBS  FOR  GARDEN  AND  PARK. 

town.      Other  good  varieties  are  L.   alpinum,    "  Scotch    Laburnum  ;  "    L.    Parksi,    and 

L.    Watered.      T.S. 
LIQUIDAMBAR,    a  tree   with   good   form,   and   valuable   for    its   colour   in   early  Autumn  ; 

it     exhales    a    very    refreshing    fragrance,    and    a    fine    effect    is    obtained    when    it    is 

planted    in    groups.       Two    species    are    worth    growing,    L.    styraciflua,    the    "  Sweet 

Gum,"     and    L.     orientalis     (syn.     L.    imberbe). 
LIRIODENDRON   TULIPIFERA,  the  "  Tulip  Tree,"  makes  an  interesting  specimen  for  the 

park.      It    forms   a    large    trunk,   and   its  habit   generally   is  pleasing.      The   tulip-like 

flowers  of  a  green  colour,   with   an  orange  and  yellow  fusion,   are   borne  freely  in  the 

latter    part    of    Julv.      Two    prominent    varieties    are    L.    chinensis    and    L.    fastigiata. 
MAPLE.       See    Acer. 
MESPILUS.     See  AMELANCHIER  in 

the    list    of   Flowering   Shrubs. 
OAK.      See    Ouercus. 
PLATANUS.     This  genus  provides 

some    of    the    most    useful    of 

ornamental    trees    for    use    in 

the  streets    of    towns.     It  can 

also  be  planted  in  groups  or  for 

forming  avenues.     P.  acerifolia, 

the    "  London    Plane,"    is    the 

best  known  ;    P.  orientalis  is  a 

very    fine     species     from     the 

Orient ;   and  P.  occidentalis,  the 

"  Button    Wood,"    is  a   native 

North    of  America.      The    first 

named  grows  to  a  huge  size  if 

planted  in  the  open  park.     T. 
POPULUS  (Poplar).     Trees  of  this 

genus  are  excellent    for  towns, 

while   some   species    are  useful 

for    breaking    the  sky    line    in 

masses     of     foliage,      or      for 

plantations    in     flat     districts. 

Populus       nigra       pyramidalis, 

known     as      the     "  Lombardy 

Poplar,"    is    excellent    for    this 

purpose.     This  genus  has  quite 

a    number    of    worthy    species 

and    varieties.      The    following 

are   the   most  distinct  : — P.    alba,    the    "  White  Poplar ;  "  P.  balsamifera,  the  "  Balsam 

Poplar  ;  "    P.   deltoidea,   the  "  Cottonwood  ;  "  P.  d.  aurea  ;    P.  tremula,    the   "  Aspen  ;  " 

and    P.   tremuloides,   the   "  American   Aspen."      T. 
PRUNUS.      This  genus  is  a  very  ornamental  as  well  as  useful  one  ;   it  includes  the  Plum, 

Cherry,    Almond    and   Peach.      Dealing    with    it   from    the   ornamental    standpoint,    we 

give   a   list    of   the   most   prominent    species   and   varieties,    which   may   be   used   with 

the    greatest   advantage    in    nearly    any    position.      T. 

P.    ACIDA,    with    its    varieties,     are    useful    to    plant    in    the    woodland.      P.    a. 

semperflorens    is    the    "  All    Saints'    Cherry."      P.    Avium,    the    "  Gean    or    Mazzard," 

and    P.    a.   flore  pleno  make  handsome   trees,   bearing  pure   white  flowers. 

P.     AMYGDALUS,     the     "  Common     Almond  "     (syn.     Amygdalus     communis).       A 


FIG.    357- — A    HORSE   CHESTNUT. 


284 


TREES  AND  SHRUBS  FOR  GARDEN  AND  PARK. 

well-known    tree,    but    not    grown    nearly    so    much    as    it    might    be.       Blooming    in     Deciduous 
early   Spring,  when   other  deciduous   trees   and   shrubs   are  dull   and   bare,   it   makes   a     trees. 
very  desirable  plant.      There  are  many  varieties,   of  which  P.   a.    amara,   the   "  Bitter 
Almond  ; "   P.  a.  dulcis,  the  "  Sweet  Almond  ; "  and  P.  a.  persicoides  are  worth  plant- 
ing, but    none    of   these   varieties    succeed    well   in    the   six    Northern    counties. 

P.  CERASIFERA,  the  "  Myrobalan  or  Cherry  Plum,"  is  a  small  tree  bearing  white 
flowers.  The  variety  with  fine  purple  foliage,  P.  cerasifera  atropurpurea  (syn. 
P.  Pissardi),  is  one  of  the  finest  trees  for  colour  contrast. 

P.  CERASUS,  the  "  Wild  or  Dwarf  Cherry,"  with  a  double  form,  P.  C.  Rhexi  flore- 
pleno,  are  charming  when  planted  in  groups  in  the  park  or  near  the  edge  of  a  wood. 

P.  DAVIDIANA  is  a  species  which  makes  a  very  fine  tree ;  the  flowers  are  rose- 
coloured,  and  a  most  pleasing  effect  is  obtained  when  planted  with  the  white  variety 
amongst  shrubs  with  dark  green  foliage. 

P.  JAPONICA,  although  not  a  tree  form,  is  useful  for  making  a  low-growing 
clump.  Two  double  varieties  are  P.  j.  flore-albo-pleno  and  P.  j.  flore-roseo-pleno. 

P.  LAUROCERASUS,  the  "  Common  Laurel  or  Cherry  Laurel,"  and  P.  lusitanica, 
the  "  Portugal  Laurel,"  are  dealt  with  under  Evergreen  Shrubs.  Syn.  Cerasus 
Laurocerasus. 

P.  MAHALEB'  (Syn.  Cerasus  Mahaleb),  the  "  St.  Lucie  Cherry,"  and  its  variety, 
P.  m.  pendula,  are  excellent  for  specimen  trees,  especially  the  latter,  which  has  a 
graceful  pendulous  habit. 

P.  MARITIMA,  the  "  Beach  Plum,"  as  the  name  denotes,  is  an  excellent  subject 
for  the  seaside. 

P.  MUME,  the  "  Japanese  Apricot,"  with  its  varieties,  some  with  double  flowers 
and  rich  colours,  add  to  the  charm  which  the  genus  "  Prunus  "  provides  in  the 
early  part  of  the  year. 

P.  PADUS  (Syn.  Cerasus  Padus),  the  "  Bird  Cherry,"  with  its  host  of  varieties, 
is  seen  to  advantage  when  planted  with  other  trees  in  a  more  or  less  wild  state  ; 
the  flowers  are  white  in  colour,  and  are  borne  on  racemes  which  vary  in  length. 

P.  PERSICA,  the  "  Peach,"  is  well  known  for  its  beautiful  Spring  blossoms.  The 
varieties  P.  p.  magnifica,  P.  p.  flore-albo-pleno,  P.  p.  flore-roseo-pleno,  are  very  beautiful. 

P.  PSEUDO-CERASUS  is  a  very  showy  tree  from  China  and  Japan  with  pink  flowers. 
The  two  most  distinct  varieties  are  P.  p.-c.  flore-luteo-pleno,  with  light  yellow  flowers, 
and  P.  p.-c.  James  H.  Veitch,  a  large-flowered  form  of  intense  pink  colour  (Syn.  Cerasus 
pseudo-cerasus).  There  are  many  new  varieties  of  excellent  colour  and  form. 

P.  SERRULATA  has  a  peculiar  habit  of  throwing  out  long  horizontal  branches. 
The  flowers  are  borne  in  profusion  on  short  spurs.  Syn.  Cerasus  serrulata. 

P.  SPINOSA,  the  "  Sloe  or  Blackthorn,"  is,  of  course,  found  wild  throughout 
the  country.  There  is  also  a  double  form,  P.  s.  flore-pleno. 

P.  SUBHIRTELLA  is  a  Japanese  species  which  forms  a  very  elegant  tree  about 
ten  feet  high. 

PYRUS.  There  are  numerous  groups  in  this  genus,  which  include  the  Pear,  Apple, 
Medlar,  Mountain  Ash,  Service  Tree,  and  others.  The  trees  generally  attain  a  medium 
size,  although  some  are  shrubby.  When  in  flower  or  bearing  fruit,  all  are  very 
ornamental.  T.S. 

P.  AMERICANA  is  the  American  "  Mountain  Ash."  It  grows  upwards  of  twenty 
feet  high  and  bears  scarlet  fruits. 

P.  ARBUTIFOLIA,  the  "  Choke-Berry,"  is  a  shrubby  tree  growing  to  about  ten 
feet  high.  The  foliage  turns  a  high  colour  in  Autumn.  It  is  therefore  a  most 
useful  form  for  shrubberies. 

P.   ARIA,   the    "  White    Beam    Tree,"    is    the    type    of    a    very    ornamental   section 

285 


Deciduous 
trees. 


TREES  AND  SHRUBS  FOR  GARDEN  AND  PARK. 

of  the  genus.  The  underside  of  the  leaves  has  usually  a  silvery  appearance.  There 
are  many  varieties,  all  of  which  are  useful  for  planting  in  the  park  ;  they  grow 
about  twenty  feet  high. 

P.  AUCUPARAJ,  the  "  Mountain  Ash  or  Rowan-tree,"  is  most  valuable,  growing 
some  twenty  to  thirty  feet  in  height.  It  makes  a  good  show  in  the  home  park  or 
woodland,  both  when  in  flower  and  when  bearing  its  bright  scarlet  fruits.  The 
varieties,  of  which  there  are  a  considerable  number,  are  all  good. 

P.  BACCATA,  the  "  Siberian  Crab,"  during  the  month  of  May  is  a  mass  of 
beautiful  blossom,  followed  by  a  crop  of  reddish  fruits.  It  makes  a  perfect 
specimen  for  a  lawn  or  park. 

P.  CORONARIA,  the  American  "  Crab  Apple,"  and  the  variety  P.  c.  flore-pleno  are 
distinct. 

P.  FLORIBUNDA,  a  very  free-flowering  small  tree,  or  sometimes  broad  shrub  is 
an  excellent  subject  for  grouping,  with  its  variety  P.  f.  atrosanguinea,  on  a  mound, 
or  for  planting  as  a  single  specimen  ;  it  stands  out  conspicuously  from  most  of 


FIG.     358. — WINTER     EFFECT     OF     SCOTCH     FIR     AND     SILVER     BIRCH. 

the    others    owing  to    its   showy  colour. 

P.  GERMANICA  (syn.  Mespilus  germanica)  is  the  "  Medlar,"  which  should  be  given 
a  place  in  every  formal  garden. 

P.  MALUS,  the  "  Crab  Apple,"  of  which  there  is  an  endless  number  of  varieties, 
is  an  excellent  flowering  tree,  particularly  the  variety  "  John  Downie." 

P.     PRUNIFOLIA    and     its    varieties    are    useful. 

P.  SCHEIDECKERI,  a  very  distinct  hybrid  between  P.  prunifolia  and  P.  floribunda. 

P.  SORBUS,  the  "  Service  Tree "  (Syn.  Sorbus  domestica),  grows  to  a  height  of 
over  forty  feet,  and  makes  an  excellent  tree  to  plant  amongst  other  masses  of 
foliage  in  the  woodland.  When  bursting  into  leaf,  and  also  when  in  flower,  it  is 
a  striking  feature  in  the  woodland. 

P.  SPECTABILIS,  introduced  from  China  and  Japan,  has  larger  flowers  than  most 
species.  The  varieties  P.  s.  Kaido,  P.  s.  flore-pleno  and  P.  s.  flore-albo  are  all  good. 

P.  TORMINALIS,  the  "  Wild  Service  Tree,"  grows  to  a  height  of  forty  to  fifty  feet. 
QUERCUS.  Q.  CERRIS,  the  "  Turkey  Oak,"  with  its  varieties,  cannot  be  overlooked. 


286 


TREES  AND  SHRUBS  FOR  GARDEN  AND  PARK. 

Q.    COCCINEA,   the   "  Scarlet  Oak  "    of   North   America,    has   brilliant   scarlet   leaves     Deciduous 
in  the  Autumn,    but,    owing  to  its   enormous   leafage,   is    somewhat  difficult    to    group     trees. 
with    native    trees. 

Q.  ILEX,  the  "  Holm  Oak,"  is  a  splendid  evergreen,  and  most  suitable  for 
planting  near  the  seaside.  It  grows  some  thirty  to  forty  feet  high,  and  makes  a 
fine  mass.  There  are  also  a  number  of  varieties  of  this  species,  which  include 
Q.  I.  Fordi,  0.  I.  latifolia,  O.  I.  longifolia  and  O.  I.  rotundifolia.  S. 

Q.  LUCOMBEANA,  the  '  Lucombe  Oak,"  is  a  variety  which  carries  its  leaves 
well  into  the  Spring,  at  which  time  they  are  shed.  This  form  is  a  hybrid, 
Q.  Cerris  x  Q.  Suber.  T.S. 

Q.  ROBUR,  the  "  Common  Oak."  Under  this  name  are  included  Q.  pedunculata 
and  0.  sessiliflora,  the  British  representatives  of  the  genus.  Apart  from  the 
forester's  idea  of  the  oak,  there  are  good  reasons  for  planting  some  of  the  most 
distinct  species  about  the  parks  and  woods  for  enhancing  the  beauty  of  the 
landscape.  T.S. 

The    following    list    is    worthy    of    note  :— 

Q.  conferta  ;  Q.  coccifera,  the  '  Kermes  Oak  ;  "  0.  heterophylla  ;  Cj.  rubra, 
the  "  Red  Oak  ;  "  Q.  palustris,  the  "  Pin  Oak  ;  "  Q.  Mirbecki  ;  O.  sessiliflora,  with  its 
varieties  ;  Q.  Suber,  the  "  Cork  Oak  ;  "  and  Q.  velutina,  the  "  Yellow  Bark  Oak," 
are  all  distinct  species  which  would  give  relief  to  the  landscape  if,  when  a  choice 
is  being  made,  some  of  them  are  introduced. 

ROBINIA.  A  leguminous  genus  of  very  handsome  trees,  being  light  and  airy. 
R.  PSEUDACACIA,  the  "  Locust  or  Acacia,"  is  a  form  with  white  flowers.  Some 
other  varieties,  of  which  are  R.  P.  Decaisneana  flore  rubro,  R.  P.  angustifolia  and 
R.  P.  semperflorens,  afford  a  good  display.  In  suburban  gardens,  R.  Pseudacacia 
is  pruned  to  a  rounded  head  and  grown  in  mop-shaped  fashion. 

Other  good  species  are  R.  neo-mexicana  ;  R.  viscosa,  the  "  Clammy  Locust  ;  " 
R.  hispida,  the  "Rose  acacia;"  and  the  variety  R.  inermis.  T. 

SALIX  (Willow).  For  the  seaside  or  for  land  which  cannot  be  properly  drained, 
Willows  are  invaluable.  They  are  very  beautiful,  and  afford  a  good  effect  near  a 
lake  or  stream.  S.  alba  coerulea,  the  true  cricket-bat  variety,  is  one  of  the  most 
profitable  trees  grown. 

The  most  useful  species  are  S.  alba,   the  "White  Willow,"  and  S.  babylonica,   the 

'  Weeping  Willow."      The  golden-stemmed  variety,   S.    ramulis    aureis,  is  very   pretty 

in    its   Winter   state.      Other   species    are    S.    caprea,    the    "  Common    Sallow    or    Goat 

Willow  ;  "    S.  daphnoides,    the    "  Violet    Willow  ;  "    S.  fragilis,    the    "  Crack   Willow  ;  " 

and   S.   nigra,    the    "  Black    Willow."       T.S. 

SOPHORA.  A  genus  of  the  Order  Leguminoss.  Sophora  japonica  grows  upwards 
of  forty  feet  high,  and  has  fine  dark  green  pinnate  leaves,  with  cream-coloured 
flowers. 

S.  Korolkowi,  S.  tetraptera,  S.  macrocarpa,  S.  pachycarpa  and  S.  violacea  are 
distinct  species. 

S.  viciifolia  is  a  most  promising  species  from  China,  with  white  and  violet 
flowers.  It  forms  a  very  beautiful  shrub,  and  can  also  be  used  with  good  effect 
planted  against  a  wall. 

TILIA  (Lime).  A  useful  tree,  and  one  which  grows  rapidly  in  most  places.  It  can 
be  trained  to  form  an  ornamental  screen,  as  often  seen  in  Holland,  or  may  be 
pruned  for  a  mop-headed  colonnade ;  it  is  also  one  of  the  finest  trees  for  avenues 
or  park  clumps.  The  flowers  are  very  fragrant. 

The  most  distinct  species  are  as  follows  : — T.  vulgaris,  the  "  Common  Lime  ;  " 
T.  americana,  the  "  Basswood  ;  "  T.  argentea,  "  White  Lime  ;  "  and  T.  platyphyllos.  T. 

287 


Deciduous 
trees. 


Hardy 

Conifers. 


TREES  AND  SHRUBS  FOR  GARDEN  AND  PARK. 

ULMUS  (Elm).  One  of  the  most  characteristic  of  English  trees.  Elms  are  indifferent  alike 
to  soil  and  situation,  and  make  magnificent  avenues,  park  clumps,  or  single  specimens. 
ULMUS  CAMPESTRIS,  the  "  Common  Elm,"  and  U.  montana,  the  "  Scotch  or  Wych 
Elm,"  are  two  species  which  form  huge  trees  for  the  park.  Other  species  and  varieties 
are  U.  glabra  and  U.  cornubiensis,  the  "  Cornish  Elm."  U.  pumila  carries  its  foliage 
into  November,  and  is  an  excellent  tree.  In  addition  to  the  above-mentioned  species 
and  varieties,  this  genus  provides  others  equally  important  for  inclusion  in  an 
arboretum.  U.  c.  Wheatleyi  is  excellent  as  a  fastigiate  tree,  and  especially  useful 
in  those  flat  districts  where  the  Lombardy  poplar  does  not  succeed.  T.S. 

HARDY  CONIFERS    FOR  THE  FORMAL  GARDEN,  PINETUM  AND  LAWN. 

No  class  of  trees  or  shrubs 
requires  more  care  in  selection 
and  arrangement  than  do  coni- 
fers, so  much  so  that  it  is  safe 
to  state  that  more  places  are 
spoiled  than  improved  by  their 
presence  ;  and  yet  there  are 
many  varieties  which  are  of 
the  greatest  use  to  the  garden 
designer.  The  fault  generally  lies 
with  the  planter,  who  perhaps 
does  not  recognise  the  effect  of 
scale  in  garden  design,  and  who, 
in  the  absence  of  this  know- 
ledge, relies  upon  the  perfectly 
well-meaning  advice  of  his 
nurseryman.  The  list  here 
given  is  one  relating  to  -the 
Order  Coniferae,  as  classed  in 
the  "  Kew  Hand-List  of  Coni- 
ferae," and  it  must  be  borne  in 
mind  that  quite  a  number  of 
these  subjects  are  named  by 
different  nurserymen  without 
regard  to  authority  of  any 
description.  The  "  Hand-List," 
reveals  the  existence  of  a  large 
number  of  synonyms.  While  en- 
deavouring to  give  a  wide  scope 
for  the  planting  of  conifers  by 
making  the  list  fairly  extensive, 
it  must  be  understood  that  ex- 
ceptional precautions  should  be 

taken  in  their  general  arrangement  and  grouping,  especially  in  forming  gardens  of  a 
limited  area.  The  adoption  of  dwarf  forms  for  easing  off  the  bend  of  a  walk,  or  for 
planting  on  rockwork,  is  but  one  of  many  points  to  be  noted  in  the  use  of  conifers. 

Judging  from  observation  it  may  be  said  that  nowhere  do  conifers  look  so  much 
at  home  as  in  mountainous  districts,  especially  when  the  houses  are  built  of  cold  grey 
stone,  or  where  there  is  a  large  extent  of  water,  either  in  the  form  of  a  river,  loch  or 
lake.  The  explanation  is  probably  that  in  such  districts  conifers  attain  a  large  size 


FIG.    359. — SNOWY    MESPILUS    AGAINST    A    BACKGROUND    OF    HOLLIES. 


288 


TREES  AND  SHRUBS  FOR  GARDEN  AND  PARK. 

and  most  characteristic  colouring,   that  they  supply  just  the  requisite  amount    of  warmth     Conifers. 

of   tone   to  the   district   in   the   Winter   season,    and   that    they   are   generally   seen   against 

a    background    of    hills. 

ABIES   (Silver   Fir).       A   fine  ornamental    genus,  which    mostly   produces   large   trees,    with 
erect  cones.     The  following  are   the    most   interesting  : — -A.  brachyphylla  ;  A.  bracteata, 
the  "  Santa  Lucia  Fir  ;  "    A.  cephalonica,  A.  cilicia,  A.  concolor,  A.  firma,  A.  lasiocarpa, 
A.  nobilis,  and  A.  n.  glauca,   A.  Nordmanniana,  A.  numidica,  A.  pectinata,  the  "Silver     . 
Fir  ;  "    A.   Pinsapo,   A.   Webbiana,   and   A.   Webbiana  var.   Pindrow. 

ARAUCARIA  IMBRICATA,  the  "  Monkey  Puzzle,"  should  never  be  planted  except  in  collections, 
as  a  curious  tree. 

CEDRUS  (Cedar).  C.  Libani,  the  "  Cedar  of  Lebanon,"  has  always  been  in  great  repute 
with  garden  makers  and  improvers,  and  very  properly  so,  as  it  is  one  of  the 
most  stately  trees  both  in  form  and  colour,  especially  when  seen  in  conjunction  with 
classic  architecture.  A  single  specimen  at  maturity  is  a  noble  tree,  whilst  an 
avenue  formed  of  cedars  is  one  of  the  most  beautiful  it  is  possible  to  rear.  Other 
species  and  varieties  are  C.  atlantica,  and  C.  a.  glauca  ;  the  latter  with  its  glaucous 
foliage,  is  very  fine.  C.  Deodara,  "The  Deodar,"  or  "Indian  Cedar,"  forms  a  very 
interesting  specimen  when  in  good  health,  but  is  not  so  beautiful  as  C.  atlantica 

CEPHALOTAXUS  is  a  very  ornamental  genus  for  inclusion  in  a  collection.  C.  drupacea. 
C.  Fortunei  and  C.  pedunculata  are  the  most  distinct  forms. 

CRYPTOMERIA  JAPONIC  A,  the  "  Japanese  Cedar,"  which  in  Lakeland  grows  to  an  enormous 
size,  is  a  useful  and  beautiful  specimen  for  the  pinetum. 

CUPRESSUS.  This  genus  includes  many  very  handsome  hardy  evergreen  trees,  some  of 
which  can  be  strongly  recommended  for  planting  on  terraces,  for  hedges,  as  specimens 
on  lawns,  and  for  boundary  plantations  in  the  gardens.  C.  Lawsoniana  (syn. 
Chamaecyparis  Lawsoniana),  the  '  Lawson  Cypress,"  may  occasionally  be  used  as 
a  hedge  plant,  but  it  is  too  funereal  in  appearance  for  other  purposes.  The  following 
varieties  are  very  prettj^  :  C.  L.  aurea,  C.  Allumi,  C.  erecta  viridis,  C.  pendula.  C. 
nootkaetensis  (syn.  Thuiopsis  borealis)  should  be  planted  instead  of  C.  Lawsoniana. 
C.  obtusa  (syn.  Retinospora  obtusa),  with  the  large  number  of  useful  varieties, 
provide  beautiful  forms  for  a  mixed  collection.  C.  pisifera,  with  the  varieties  of 
C.  p.  plumosa  and  C.  p.  filifera,  cannot  be  passed  over,  being  very  graceful  subjects 
C.  thuyoides,  the  "  White  Cedar,"  (syn.  Retinospora  ericoides)  has  quite  a  number 
of  varieties  which  furnish  medium-sized  specimens.  C.  macrocarpa,  the  "  Monterey 
Cypress,"  is  tender  in  some  localities,  but  when  established  is  very  handsome.  For  a 
seaside  garden,  C.  macrocarpa  is  one  of  the  most  useful  conifers  known  to  the  writer  ; 
it  grows  very  rapidly,  can  be  planted  as  a  hedge  and  closely  clipped,  or  it  may  be 
treated  as  a  close-trimmed  formal  tree. 

GINGKO  BILOBA,  the  "  Maidenhair  Tree,"  is  a  deciduous  conifer  which  thrives  well  in  towns. 

JUNIPERUS  (Juniper).  A  genus  of  useful  trees  and  dwarf  shrubs,  the  principal  species 
and  varieties  being  as  follows: — J.  communis,  the  "Common  Juniper,"  with  its 
varieties,  provide  good  subjects  for  natural  masses  ;  while  J.  c.  hibernica,  the  "  Irish 
Juniper,"  is  a  useful  shrub  for  planting  on  terraces.  Other  species  are  J.  littoralis. 
J.  drupacea,  the  "  Syrian  Juniper,"  and  J.  sabina,  the  "  Savin."  An  interesting  variety 
is  J.  s.  tamariscifolia,  the  "  Carpet  Juniper  ; "  while  J.  chinensis  and  varieties,  J.  excelsa 
the  "  Greek  Juniper  ;  "  J.  recur va,  J.  thurifera,  the  Spanish  or  "  Incense  Juniper  ;  " 
J.  virginiana,  the  "  Red  Cedar,"  with  a  host  of  varieties,  make  up  a  pleasing  effect 
for  every  kind  of  situation,  but  preferably  where  the  lawns  are  expanding  into  the 
wild  garden  or  woodland. 

LARIX  EUROP^EA  (Larch)  is  one  of  the  best  trees  for  plantations  in  hilly  country,  being 
hardy,  quick  growing  and  valuable  for  timber. 

289 


TREES  AND  SHRUBS  FOR  GARDEN  AND  PARK. 


Conifers.          LIBOCEDRUS    DECURRENS,  the    "  Incense   Cedar,"    is   a    stately    columnar   tree    which    shows 
to    advantage   if   planted    in    a   group.      There    are    several    varieties    of    this    type. 

PICEA  (Spruce  Fir).  This  is  a  genus  of  lofty  trees  which  are  very  ornamental  in 
the  park  or  woodland,  but  should  not  be  planted  on  low  ground  in  combination 
with  other  trees.  The  type  is  P.  excelsa,  the  "  Common  Spruce,"  which  has  a 
large  number  of  different  varieties.  Other  interesting  species  are  P.  alba,  the 
"  White  Spruce  ;  "  P.  Alcockiana,  P.  Engelmanni,  P.  Maximowiczii,  P.  Morinda,  P.  nigra 
the  "  Black  Spruce,"  P.  Omorika,  the  "  Servian  Spruce  ;  "  P.  orientalis,  P.  polita  and 
P.  pungens  ;  also  the  variety  P.  p.  glauca,  the  "  Blue  Spruce." 

PINUS,  of  which  the  varieties  are  legion,  includes  some  of  the  best  known  conifers,  but 
the  genus  also  contains  a  large  number  of  species  which  are  only  interesting  to  lovers 
of  the  curious.  The  commonest  and  probably  the  most  useful  is  P.  sylvestris,  the 
Scotch  fir  which  is  one  of  the  few  pines  which  associate  well  with  English  landscape 
scenery.  The  following  are  distinct: — P.  Bungeana,  the  "Lace  Bark  Pine;" 
P.  inops,  the  "  Scrub  Pine  ;  "  P.  Laricio,  the  "  Corsican  Pine  ;  "  P.  montana  ;  P.  Pinaster, 
the  "  Cluster  Pine  ;  "  P.  Pinea,  the  "  Stone 
Pine  ; "  P.  excelsa,  the  "  Bhotan  Pine,"  and 
P.  Strobus,  the  "  Weymouth  Pine."  Pines 
invariably  look  best  when  planted  together 
in  considerable  numbers. 

PSEUDOLARIX  K.EMPFERI,  the  "  Golden  Larch," 
is  a  beautiful  tree,  and  should  be  more 
largely  planted  for  effect,  wherever  there 
is  a  background  of  large  trees  or  hills. 

PSEUDOTSUGA  DouGLAsii,  the  "  Douglas  Fir," 
is  a  handsome  tree  of  very  rapid  growth, 
and  valuable  as  timber.  It  will  not  how- 
ever stand  strong  winds. 

RETINOSPORA.      See   Cupressus. 

SCIADOPITYS  VERTICILLATA,  the  '  Umbrella 
Pine,"  is  a  somewhat  rare  and  unique 
evergreen  tree  of  slow  growth,  quite  distinct 
from  any  other  Pine,  and  one  which  should 
be  included  in  every  collection. 

SEQUOIA    GIGANTEA,    "  Wellingtonia,"   Mammoth 

Tree,  and  S.  sempervirens,  the  "  Redwood,"  FIG-  360.— CYTISUS  ALBA. 

grow   to   very  large  trees,  but  the  positions    they  are   to    occupy  ought    to  be  chosen 

with  great  discretion,   as   they  need   plenty   of  space  to    grow  in. 

TAXODIUM  DISTICHUM,  the  "  Deciduous  Cypress,"  grows  well  in  swamps  or  near  the 
margin  of  a  stream  or  lake.  It  is  a  very  interesting  tree. 

TAXUS  (Yew).  T.  baccata,  the  "  Common  Yew,"  is  of  all  evergreens  at  once  the  most 
English  and  the  most  beautiful  in  character  ;  serviceable  alike  for  almost  every 
purpose  for  which  trees  are  required — when  planted  as  an  avenue,  as  a  single  tree 
on  a  lawn.  It  may  be  seen  at  hundreds  of  places  ;  as  a  screen  tree,  as  a  clipped 
tree  in  the  formal  garden,  or  as  a  hedge,  for  which  purpose  it  is  better  than  any 
other  plant.  Other  useful  varieties  are  T.  b.  adpressa,  T.  b.  adpressa  aurea,  one  of 
the  most  effective  forms  which  is  often  grafted  on  T.  b.  fastigiata,  the  "  Irish 
Yew "  the  result  being  a  mushroom  or  pyramidal  head,  as  shown  in  illustration 
No.  341.  Although  often  decried  by  writers  on  gardens,  there  is  no  tree  of 
natural  shape  which  is  so  useful  to  the  garden  designer  as  the  Irish  Yew  and 
its  golden  variety,  T.  b.  fastigiata  aurea.  As  a  line  of  Yews,  or  for  marking 


290 


TREES  AND  SHRUBS  FOR  GARDEN  AND  PARK. 

the   steps   of   a  doorway,  they  are   invaluable.    Yews   require  to  be  placed   with  great     Conifers. 
discretion,    as    they    sometimes,    when    improperly   used,    give    a    funereal    appearance 
to    a    garden.      Very    effective    specimens,    grown    in   many   shapes,    can    be    obtained. 
They    are,    of    course,    expensive,    but    they    give    an    immediate    effect.      There   is   an 
endless    number    of    varieties    of   the    type. 

THUYA.  T.  occidentalis,  the  "  American  Arborvitae,"  and  its  varieties  are  useful  as 
formal  trees  or  for  hedges.  T.  Standishi,  T.  plicata,  the  "Red"  or  "Canoe  Cedar," 
and  T.  Lobbi  (syn.  T.  gigantea)  and  varieties  are  useful  trees  for  planting  as  a 
screen  or  shelter.  It  is  a  conifer  much  thought  of  by  foresters  and  gardeners, 
but  one  which  the  writer  has  never  been  able  to  employ  with  good  results.  From 
a  landscape  gardener's  point  of  view  it  would  look  best  when  standing  out  of  a 
bed  of  low-growing  shrubs.  Other  forms  are  T.  dolabrata  (syn.  Thuyopsis  dolabrata) 
T.  orientalis,  the  "  Chinese  Arborvitae."  There  are  endless  varieties  of  this  form, 
all  good  in  their  various  habits.  The  latter  form  is  sometimes  named  Biota 
orientalis. 

TSUGA.  A  genus  of  ornamental  character,  the  type  being  T.  canadensis,  the  "  Hemlock 
Spruce."  Distinct  species  are  T.  Albertiana,  T.  Brunoniana,  the  "  Indian  Hemlock 
Fir  ;  "  T.  Pattoniana,  T.  Sieboldi,  the  "  Japanese  Hemlock  Spruce,"  and  T. 
Hookeriana. 

FLOWERING    SHRUBS,    DECIDUOUS    AND    EVERGREEN. 

AMELANCHIER.      A    genus    of    small    trees,    and    shrubs,    bearing    in    Spring    dainty    white     Flowering 
flowers,    which  will   thrive   in   any   moderately   rich   soil.     A.  canadensis,   the  "  June  or     shrubs. 
Serviceberry,"    is    the    showiest.      A.    c.    oblongifolia,    the    "  Swamp    Sugar    Pear,"    a 
variety   of  the  above,  is  also  fine,  whilst   the  following  species  grace  a  collection  : — A. 
alnifolia,    A.    asiatica  ;    A.    oligocarpa ;    A.    utahensis    and    A.   vulgaris,    the  "  Snowy 
Mespilus,"   with  cream-coloured    flowers,    grow    from    10    to    15    ft.    high.      T.S. 

ANDROMEDA.  The  most  recent  arrangement  of  genera  in  the  Order  Ericaceae  only  records 
one  species,  viz.  A.  polifolia,  a  dwarf  shrub  with  pink  flowers.  There  are  two 
distinct  varieties  from  the  type,  A.  p.  angustifolia  and  A.  p.  major.  Growth  is  greatly 
encouraged  if  peat  and  leaves  are  worked  into  the  soil  before  planting.  P. 

ARBUTUS.  An  Ericaceous  evergreen  with  bell-shaped  flowers,  its  fruit  resembles  a  straw- 
berry, and  ripens  about  a  year  after  flowering.  It  thrives  well  in  a  sandy  or 
peaty  compost  with  plenty  of  moisture,  and  near  the  sea.  The  type,  A.  Unedo, 
the  "  Strawberry  Tree,"  grows  wild  in  the  south  of  Ireland,  while  the  varieties 
A.  U.  compacta,  A.  U.  integerrima,  A.  U.  microphylla,  A.  U.  quercifolia  and  A.  U. 
rubra,  give  quite  a  varied  number  of  forms  of  the  type.  Other  distinct  varieties 
are  A.  Andrachne,  A.  hybrida,  and  A.  Menziesii.  S.P. 

ARCTOSTAPHYLOS.  This  also  belongs  to  the  Order  Ericaceae.  A.  Uva-ursi,  the  "  Bearberry," 
is  a  little  trailing  form,  as  also  is  the  variety  A.  californica.  A.  pungens  and 
A.  tomentosa  "  Manzanita "  are  interesting  forms  quite  resembling  the  Arbutus,  and 
are  excellent  for  shady  positions.  P. 

AZALEA.       See    Rhododendrons. 

BERBERIS.  This  is  a  genus  of  hardy  and  indispensable  flowering  shrubs  ;  some  species 
are  of  upright  growth,  others  are  of  trailing  habit,  while  others  again  have  gracefully 
arched  branches  bearing  racemes  of  yellow  or  orange-coloured  flowers  in  the  greatest 
profusion.  Some  varieties  are  evergreen  and  some  deciduous  and  all  will  thrive  well 
in  any  ordinary  soil,  and  may  be  grown  by  those  possessing  little  knowledge  of 
gardening.  The  following  are  the  most  useful  ;  B.  aquifolium  (syn.  Mahonia 
aquifolium)  and  its  varieties  are  evergreen ;  B.  Darwinii,  another  evergreen,  one 
of  the  best,  bears  orange-coloured  flowers  excellent  for  massing  ;  B.  stenophylla 

291 


TREES  AND  SHRUBS  FOR  GARDEN  AND  PARK. 

Flowering  is  a  hybrid,  B.  empetrifolia  B.  Darwinii,  its  long,  gracefully  arched  branches  bearing 

shrubs.  a  profusion  of  small  yellow  flowers.  B.  Thunbergii  is  a  choice  Japanese  species,  the 

foliage  of  which  turns  a  bright  crimson  in  the  Autumn  ;  B.  vulgaris  is  the  well- 
known  Berberry  ;  B.  v.  atropurpurea  is  a  purple-leaved  variety  ;  B.  Wallichiana,  an 
evergreen  about  3  ft.  high.  T.S. 

BUCKTHORN,    SEA    (URTICACE^E)  .      See   Hippophae. 

BROUSSONETIA  PAPYRIFERA,  the  '  Paper  Mulberry,"  belongs  to  the  same  Order  as  the 
Elm  and  may  be  planted  in  large  shrubberies. 

BRYANTHUS.  A  genus  resembling  the  Heaths.  They  may  be  planted  with  advantage  in 
a  rockery  or  in  rough  ground  where  they  will  not  be  disturbed  ;  they  grow  well  in 
peat.  The  best  known  species  is  B.  empetriformis,  while  B.  Breweri,  B.  erecta  and 

B.  taxifolia   are   all  interesting.     P. 

BUDDLEIA.  An  interesting  and  useful  genus  belonging  to  the  Order  Loganiaceae.  They 
succeed  nearly  everywhere  and  are  good  seaside  plants ;  when  planted  inland,  a 
position  sheltered  from  the  North  and  East  winds  is  preferred.  B.  globosa  is  the 
form  which  has  round  orange  flower-heads,  and  makes  a  bush  12  ft.  high  ;  B. 
variabilis,  from  China,  has  racemes  of  lilac-coloured  flowers.  B.  v.  Veitchiana  is  a 
great  improvement,  having  very  long  racemes,  sometimes  over  2  ft.  in  length ;  the 
colour  of  which  is  much  deeper  than  the  type.  S. 

CALLUNA    VULGARIS,    the   "  Ling "      See   ERICA. 

CALYCANTHUS.  A  genus  of  handsome,  hardy,  deciduous  and  sweet-scented  shrubs.  C. 
floridus,  the  "  Carolina  Allspice,"  is  a  lovely  sweet-scented  form  ;  C.  glaucus  has 
glaucus-coloured  leaves  ;  C.  occidentalis,  a  Californian  species,  grows  larger  than  the 
others,  often  attaining  a  height  of  10  ft.  P. 

CARAGANA.  A  useful  Leguminous  genus  with  yellow  flowers.  C.  arborescens  is  a  large 
shrub  often  over  15  ft.  high.  The  forms  C.  pendula  and  C.  Redowski  are  useful. 

C.  aurantiaca   makes   a   close-formed    specimen,  and    C.    frutescens,  with  its    numerous 
varieties,  are   fit   subjects   for   large   shrubberies. 

CASSANDRA  CALYCULATA,  the  "  Leather-leaf "  (syn.  Andromeda  calyculata),  is  a  pretty 
shrub  about  2  ft.  high,  useful  for  breaking  up  the  flat  portions  of  a  rockery,  as 
well  as  for  forming  a  mass  in  front  of  other  groups.  Where  possible,  peat  and 
leaf-mould  should  be  used  when  planting.  There  are  two  varieties,  C.  latifolia  and 
C.  nana.  P. 

CEANOTHUS.       See    List    of    Climbers    and    Wall    Plants. 

CERCIS,  comprises  a  genus  of  Leguminous  shrubs  and  small  trees.  The  clusters  of 
reddish-purple  flowers  it  bears  make  a  very  pleasing  effect  about  the  end  of  May. 
C.  canadensis,  the  "  Redbud,"  grows  upwards  of  15  ft.  high  and  forms  a  large  bush. 
C.  siliquastrum,  the  "Judas  Tree,"  grows  over  20  ft.  high,  forming  a  small  tree  ;  there 
are  two  varieties,  C.  s.  alba  and  C.  s.  carnea  bearing  respectively  white  and  flesh- 
coloured  flowers. 

CHIMONANTHUS  FRAGRANS  (syn.  Calycanthus  praecox),  from  China  and  Japan,  is  suitable 
for  a  wall  or  sheltered  position  facing  South,  the  flowers  are  very  fragrant,  pale 
yellow  in  colour,  and  open  in  January.  C.  f.  grandiflorus  has  larger  and  deeper- 
coloured  flowers. 

CHIMONANTHUS  VIRGINICA,  the  "  Fringe  Tree,"  makes  a  pretty  show  of  drooping  white 
flowers  with  fringed  petals  and  attains  a  height  of  10  to  30  ft.  C.  retusa,  a 
handsome  species  with  white  flowers  and  very  fragrant,  is  from  China  and  Japan. 

CHOISYA  TERNATA,  a  beautiful  evergreen  shrub,  bearing  white  sweet-scented  flowers.  It 
is  very  effective  as  a  shrubby  climber  or  when  planted  in  peat  or  loamy  soil  in  a 
sheltered  position.  Order  Rutaceae. 

292 


TREES  AND  SHRUBS  FOR  GARDEN  AND  PARK. 

CISTUS.     A   genus  which   is    suitable   for   situations    where    the   soil  is  dry   and   poor.     The     Flowering 
position  should  face  South  if  possible,  as  its  growths  ripen  better  when  exposed  to  the     shrubs. 
sun.     The  different  species  of  this  genus  vary  in   height.    A  list  of  the  most  interesting 
is  as  follows  :  C.  corbariensis,  with  white  flowers,  2  ft.  high  ;  C.  crispus,  purple  flowers, 
2  ft.  high  ;  C.  cyprius,  petals  white  with  a  dark  spot  at  base,  height  4  ft.  ;  C.  laurifolius, 
a  most  useful   form,    4   to   6   ft.    high,   with   white   flowers  ;    C.  purpureus,  2   ft.  high ; 
C.  ladaniferus  is  a  handsome  form,   but  as  it  is  somewhat  tender  it  does  not  thrive  in 
all   parts   of   the   country.       C.    recognitus,    2   ft.    high,   makes   a   grand   show,    as   also 
does    C.    monspeliensis    and    its    variety    C.    florentinus,    a    most    effective    low-growing 
shrub    producing    sheets   of    white   flowers.      The  plants   should  be  grown   in   pots  up 
to    the    time    of    planting  out,   as  they  do  not  take  well  to  transplanting  from   open 
ground.      The  best    effect   is   obtained   when    they   are   planted   in   masses. 
CLERODENDRON.     Belongs  to   the  Order  Verbenacese,   and  should  be  more   largely  planted 
than   it   has   been,    as   in    August   and   September,    when   the   flowers   appear,    there   is 
really  a  scarcity  of  bloom    amongst  the  hardy  shrubs.      C.  fcetidum  (syn.  C.  Bungei), 
grows  about  5  ft.   high  with  quite  a  number  of  shoots,   which  bear  terminal  corymbs 
of    lilac-rose    flowers.       C.    trichotomum    "  Kusagi,"    from    China    and    Japan,    is    the 
best  hardy  form,   it  grows  to  a  height  of   10  to   12  ft.  ;   the  flower-heads  in  terminal 
cymes   of   very   fragrant   blooms,    with  red   calyx   and   white   corolla,    are  really  a  fine 
sight  :    this    species   should   be  planted  in  groups. 

CLETHRA.  A  genus  of  deciduous  shrubs  which  bear  racemes  of  white  flowers  ;  they  belong 
to  the  Order  Ericaceae,  and  naturally  need  a  peaty  soil  and  the  same  treatment  as 
most  Ericaceous  plants.  C.  acuminata  grows  over  10  ft.  high  ;  alnifolia,  the  "  Sweet 
Pepper-bush,"  with  its  varieties,  about  4  ft.  high.  P. 

COLUTEA.  An  interesting  genus  of  Leguminosaa,  which  flowers  very  freely  and  ripens 
fruits  of  a  bladder-like  shape.  C.  arborescens,  the  "  Bladder  Senna,"  grows  to  10 
ft.  high.  Other  species  are  C.  cruenta  and  C.  longialata. 

CORNUS.  Ornamental  shrubs  and  small  trees,  useful  both  when  in  and  out  of  leaf,  as 
the  Winter  state  of  some  forms  is  very  striking.  A  few  of  the  best  species  and 
varieties  are  as  follows : — C.  alba  grows  5  to  10  ft.  high,  with  white  flowers  and 
white  fruits,  and  in  the  Winter  has  deep  red-coloured  bark.  Two  good  varieties 
are  C.  a.  sibirica  variegata  and  C.  a.  Spathii.  C.  Baileyi  has  red  stems  ;  C.  brachypoda 
and  its  variety  C.  b.  variegata  are  distinct  and  handsome ;  C.  florida,  the  "  Flowering 
Dogwood,"  grows  over  20  ft.  high;  C.  mas,  "the  Cornelian  Cherry,"  "Cornel,"  is  a 
species  which  makes  a  splendid  show  of  yellow  flowers  early  in  the  year  when  the 
tree  is  leafless ;  it  is  a  native  of  Europe,  and  is  useful  for  a  large  shrubbery.  C. 
sanguinea,  the  "  Common  Dogwood,"  and  C.  stolonifera  (syn.  C.  alba),  the  '  Red 
Osier  Dogwood,"  are  useful  for  massing  in  the  woods  or  by  streams  or 
ornamental  lakes.  T. 
CORONILLA.  C.  emerus,  the  Scorpion  Senna,  is  a  pretty  shrub  with  yellow  flowers,  growing 

3    to    4    ft.    high. 

CORYLUS.  C.  Avellana,  the  "  Common  Hazel,"  is  a  type  of  this  genus  of  Cupuliferae. 
The  two  varieties,  C.  aurea,  with  golden  foliage,  and  C.  heterophylla,  are  useful 
shrubbery  plants,  as  also  are  C.  maxima  and  the  variety  C.  m.  atropurpurea. 
COTONEASTER.  Hardy  shrubs  requiring  little  or  no  care  after  planting,  excellent  for 
the  shrubbery,  or  for  training  against  walls.  The  following  are  the  best  ;  C. 
angustifolia,  an  orange-berried  form  of  recent  introduction;  C.  bacillaris,  a  deciduous 
shrub  with  dark  purple  fruits,  over  15  ft.  high ;  C.  buxifolia,  an  evergreen,  6  ft. 
high ;  C.  Franchettii,  a  Yunnan  species.  C.  frigida,  with  deciduous  leaves  and 
bearing  red  fruits,  makes  a  very  fine  effect,  growing  about  15  ft.  high,  and  is  most 
useful  for  forming  a  mass  in  a  large  shrubbery  or  the  home  park.  C.  horizontalis 

293 


TREES  AND  SHRUBS  FOR  GARDEN  AND  PARK. 


flowering 
shrubs. 


makes    a  spreading    bush    about    3   ft.  high  ;    C.    macrophylla  is  an  evergreen   species 

with   red   fruits,  suitable  for  rockery  or  bank,  or  for  covering  low  walls  ;    C.    multiflora 

is  a  very  pretty  form,  being  more  or 
less  pendulous,  very  free  flowering,  and 
4  to  6  ft.  high  ;  C.  rotundifolia  grows 
about  4  ft.  high,  bears  red  fruits,  and 
is  a  very  useful  species.  C.  Simonsii, 
a  sub-evergreen,  has  orange-coloured 
fruits.  The  above  named  are  the  best 
of  this  genus.  T.S. 

CYDONIA.  C.  vulgaris,  the  "Quince,"  is  the 
type,  while  C.  japonica,  the  "  Japanese 
Quince,"  with  red  flowers,  is  a  favour- 
ite for  training  against  a  wall  ;  they 
are  also  excellent  for  covering  large 
mounds  or  banks.  C.  Maulei  is  a 
bushy  species  with  red  flowers,  and 
C.  sinensis  is  the  "  Chinese  Quince." 
T.S. 

CYRILLA.  A  lovely  little  shrub  distinct  in 
form,  with  racemes  of  white  flowers, 
borne  in  a  whorl  round  the  stem. 
Peat  should  be  worked  into  the  soil 
when  planting.  C.  racemiflora,  the 
"  Leatherwood,"  is  a  useful  species.  P. 
CYTISUS.  In  the  creation  of  garden  effects 
there  are  few  shrubs  so  useful  as  the 
"  Common  Broom,"  which  seems  to 
harmonize  with  any  style,  rough, 

polished,  or  formal.     The  following   is   a   list   of   the   best   forms  of  Cytisus  :    C.    albus, 

the    "  White    Spanish 

broom;"  (111.  No.  360) . 

C.   a.  incarnatus  is    a 

variety     tinged     with 

red;  C.  nigricans  grows 

3  ft.  high  ;  C.  prsecox 

grows  6   to  8  ft.,  the 

flowers  being  pale  yel- 
low ;    C.  purpureus,  a 

low  form,   i    to  2     ft. 

high.   C.  scoparius,  the 

"Common       Broom," 

speaks  for  itself,  while 

the    variety    C.    s. 

andreanus,     with     the 

reddish-bronze    petals, 

makes,    when    planted 

in  masses,  a  fine  effect. 

T.S. 
DABCECIA    POLI  FOLIA,    the 

"St.   Dabcec's   Heath,"  and   often   called    Menziesia,   grows  i   to   2  ft.   high,  belongs   to 


FIG.    361. — QUALITIES    OF   FOLIAGE    (VERTICAL  LINE) 


FIG.    362. —  QUALITIES    OF    FOLIAGE    (SILHOUETTE). 


294 


TREES  AND  SHRUBS  FOR  GARDEN  AND  PARK. 


the  Order  Ericaceae,  and  is  excellent   for  masses  in    a    rockery  or   rough    ground.     The     Flowering 


varieties,    D.  alba    and    D.  bicolor   are    useful. 

DAPHNE.  D.  Mezereum,  the  "  Mezereon," 
with  red  flowers,  and  the  varieties  D.  M. 
grandiflorum  and  D.  M.  album,  flower 
early  in  Spring,  and  are  very  fragrant. 
The  following  species  are  also  very 
interesting  :  D.  Blagayana,  with  white 
flowers.  D.  Cneorum,  the  "  Garland 
Flower,"  and  the  variety  D.  C.  major, 
grows  about  i  ft.  high.  D.  laureola, 
the  "  Spurge  Laurel,"  grows  about  3  ft. 
high,  and  has  evergreen  leaves.  This 
makes  a  capital  undergrowth.  P. 

DEUTZIA.  Very  beautiful  deciduous  flower- 
ing shrubs.  The  following  is  a  list  of 
the  best.  D.  corymbosa,  with  white 
flowers,  grows  about  4  ft.  high  ;  D. 
crenata  grows  8  ft.  high  ;  D.  gracilis 
and  its  varieties  are  very  good ;  D. 
Lemoinei  is  a  hybrid  between  D. 
gracilis  and  D.  parviflora.  All  the 
species  flower  during  May  and  June.  T. 

DIERVILLA  (syn.  Weigela).  Handsome 
flowering  shrubs  well  deserving  more 
extended  cultivation.  They  thrive  in 
any  ordinary  garden  soil,  are  very 
profuse  bloomers  and  have  a  graceful 
spreading  habit  ;  with  their  long 


shrubs. 


FIG.    363. QUALITIES    OF  FOLIAGE    (MASS) . 


racemes    of    bell-shaped   flowers    in   Spring   and  gorgeous   foliage  in   Autumn,  they   are 

always      pleasing. 
D.  floribunda  and 

^    -^*L  D.       grandiflora 

have  given  us  D. 
hybrida,  which 
comprises  quite  a 
number  of  excel- 
lent forms  of 
which  the  follow- 
ing are  most  beau- 
tiful: Abel  Car- 
riere,  Eva  Rathke, 
D.  rosea,  D.  Can- 
dida, and  D  . 
amabilis.  T.S. 
EL^AGNUS.  This  is  a 
most  useful  genus, 
as  it  comprises 
both  deciduous 
and  evergreen 

shrubs.     The   most   useful   forms    are   E.    argentea,    the    "  Silver    Berry,"    which    grows 


FIG.   364. — QUALITIES    OF    FOLIAGE    (LIGHT   AND    SHADE). 


295 


TREES  AND  SHRUBS  FOR  GARDEN  AND  PARK. 

Flowering  over  8   ft.   high;    E.   glabra  and   E.  g.  variegata  ;   E.   macrophylla,   the  "  Fon   Gumi ;  " 

shrubs.  E.   multiflora,   and   E.   pungens,    "  Natsu   Gumi,"  which   has   provided  quite  a  number 

of  very   fine  coloured  varieties.      E.  p.  aurea,  E.  p.  aureo-picta,  E.  p.  Simonsii,  E.  p.  S. 

aureo-variegata,  E.  p.  tricolor,    and   E.  p.  variegata   are   all  worthy  of    places  in  large 

shrubberies.      T. 

ERICA  (syn.  Heath).  A  genus  of  pretty  shrubby  plants,  very  effective  when  grown  in 
masses  on  the  rockery  or  as  edgings  to  shrubberies.  On  the  outskirts  of  pleasure 
grounds  there  are  often  odd  corners  and  scraps  of  ground  where  the  soil  is  too  poor 
for  most  shrubs  and  in  such  positions,  heaths  are  most  valuable.  Another  interesting 
feature  is  that  the  species  and  varieties  now  in  cultivation  provide  a  continual 
Ericaceous  display  of  bloom  throughout  the  year.  E.  arborea  has  white  flowers  ; 
E.  australis,  with  purple-red  flowers,  borne  in  March  and  April,  grows  from  4  to 
6  ft.  high  ;  E.  carnea  and  E.  c.  alba  flower  from  February  to  April,  and  grow  six 
inches  high  ;  E.  ciliaris  and  the  variety  E.  c.  Maweana  flower  about  August.  E. 
cinerea,  with  its  numerous  varieties,  blooms  throughout  the  Summer  :  the  colours  are 
very  fine  in  these  forms.  E.  mediterranea  flowers  from  March  to  May,  and  grows 
about  4  ft.  high  ;  but  the  best  variety  is  E.  m.  hybrida,  which  flowers  from  December 
to  the  end  of  April,  and  grows  I  foot  high  ;  while  E.  multiflora,  E.  stricta,  E. 
tetralix,  the  "  Cross-leaved  Heath,"  and  E.  vagans,  the  "  Cornish  Heath,"  make  a 
good  display.  All  the  forms  of  Calluna  are  worth  planting  on  high  or  rough  ground. 

ESCALLONIA.      See  CLIMBERS. 

EUCRYPHIA  PINNATIFOLIA,  a  native  of  Chili,  is  one  of  the  finest  shrubs  grown,  but 
requires  a  sheltered  position  ;  height  10  to  15  feet. 

EUONYMUS.  A  genus  containing  both  evergreen  and  deciduous  shrubs  and  small  trees. 
The  following  list  is  worth  growing  :  E.  europaeus,  the  "  Spindle  Tree,"  is  valuable 
for  its  display  of  red  and  yellow  fruits  ;  E.  americanus  is  the  "  Strawberry  Bush  ;  " 

E.  japonicus,    with    its    numerous    evergreen,    variegated    and    golden    forms,     proves 
useful   for    shrubberies.      T. 

EXOCHORDA.     A  very  beautiful  shrub  of  compact   growth,   bearing   white  flowers  in   May  ; 

it  grows   about   6    ft.   high.       E.    Alberti   and   E.    grandiflora   are   the   two   types.      T. 

FORSYTHIA.      Ornamental  shrubs  which  bear  showy  yellow  flowers  in   February  and  March. 

F.  suspensa   thrives    well   as    a   climber    or   grown    as    a    bush.      When   the   flowering 
season  is  over,   if   the  growths  are  cut   back  a  fresh  lot  of   shoots   will  spring   up,   to 
be  covered  the  following   year  with  masses  of   flowers.      F.   viridissima   and   F.   inter- 
media  are  both  good  forms.      T.S. 

GAULTHERIA  PROCUMBENS,  the  "  Creeping  Winter-green,"  is  a  pretty  creeping  shrub  with 
white  wax-like  flowers  and  red  berries,  G.  Shallon  thrives  well  in  the  shade  of 
trees.  Both  species  may  be  used  on  the  rockery.  U.P. 

GENISTA.  This  genus  is  closely  allied  to  Cytisus,  and  belongs  to  Order  Leguminosae. 
The  following  species  are  the  best  :  G.  setnensis,  grows  over  15  ft.  high,  with 
pendulous  habit,  and  bears  yellow  flowers ;  G.  cinerea,  8  to  10  ft.  high,  blooms  in 
June,  and  is  a  very  fine  plant  ;  G.  hispanica,  the  "  Spanish  Gorse,"  flowers  in  June, 
and  grows  2  ft.  high;  G.  pilosa,  2  ft.  high;  G.  tinctoria,  "Dyer's  Greenweed,"  and 
its  double  form,  growing  about  18  inches  high,  are  two  especially  pretty  plants  ; 

G.  virgata   grows   upwards   of   15    ft.    high,  and  is   excellent   for   planting  in  the   park 
in    the   shade  of   other    trees.      T. 

HALESIA   TETRAPTERA,   the  "  Snowdrop  or  Silver-bell  Tree,"  has  racemes  of  white  flowers. 

Other    species    are    H.    corymbosa  ;     H.   diptera  ;    H.   hispida,    "  Asagara  ;  "     and    H. 

parviflora  ;    all  very  interesting   shrubs.      T. 
HAMAMELIS.      This  genus  is  one  of  the  prettiest  and  most  useful  of  shrubs.      Though  it 

has   been   neglected   by   planters  up   to   the  present,   it   is    hoped   that   those   who   are 

296 


TREES  AND  SHRUBS  FOR  GARDEN  AND  PARK. 

practically  acquainted  with  its  value,  at  a  season  of  the  year  when  few  or  no  flowers     Flowering 
are   in    evidence,    will   do   their   best    to   introduce  it   in   quantity.      The   following   are     shrubs 
all  worthy  of  a  place  ;    H.  arborea,  the  "  Mansak,"  (from  Japan,   flowers  in  January) : 
H.   japonica,   H.  j.   Zuccariniana,   H.  mollis,  and  H.  virginica,   the   "Witch    Hazel."   T. 

HEATH.       See  ERICA. 

HEDYSARUM  MULTIJUGUM,  with  purple  flowers,  is  a  dwarf  shrub  belonging  to  the  Order 
Leguminosse. 

HIBISCUS  SYRIACUS,  forms  a  desirable  class  of  deciduous  flowering  shrubs  with  malva-like 
flowers.  Although  perfectly  hardy  in  the  Midland,  Southern  and  Western  counties, 
and  in  gardens  situated  near  the  coast,  they  are  not  always  reliable  in  Scotland 
or  the  North  of  England. 

HIPPOPHAE  RHAMNOIDES,  the  "  Sea  Buckthorn,"  is  a  hardy  deciduous  shrub  or  small  tree  ; 
when  trained  as  the  latter,  and  when  covered  with  fine  bright,  orange-coloured 
fruits,  it  is  a  very  fine  sight.  It  is  most  useful  for  the  seaside,  as  it  forms  a 
good  wind  screen  for  protecting  other  plants.  It  should  be  noted  that  both  male 
and  female  plants  must  be  planted.  S. 

HYDRANGEA  PANICULATA,  is  a  very  useful  subject  for  a  mass  ;  H.  p.  grandiflora  is  a 
larger-flowered  form  than  the  type.  T. 

HYPERICUM.  Very  serviceable  shrubs  of  varied  types  ;  some  forms  grow  5  ft.  high, 
while  others  attain  only  i  foot.  The  best  forms  are  H.  Androscemum,  "  Tutsan," 
which  grows  2  to  3  ft.  high.  The  species  H.  calycinum  (the  Rose  of  Sharon), 
H.  Moserianum,  H.  Hookerianum,  and  H.  patulum  are  the  most  useful.  T. 

KALMIA.  A  genus  of  Ericaceae  commendable  for  their  very  beautiful  flowers,  combined 
with  evergreen  foliage.  K.  angustifolia,  the  "  Sheep  Laurel  ;  "  K.  glauca  ;  and 
K.  latifolia,  the  "  Calico-Bush,"  are  noteworthy  species.  Peat  should  be  added  when 
planting.  P. 

KERRIA  JAPONICA,  a  pretty  cottage  shrub  with  slender  branches,  bearing  yellow  flowers  in 
great  profusion.  It  is  useful  for  nearly  any  situation  ;  the  varieties  are  also  good. 

LAURUSTINUS.       See  Viburnum. 

LEDUM  LATIFOLIUM  belongs  to  the  Order  Ericaceae,  and  requires  similar  treatment  to 
others  of  the  same  Order.  L.  palustre  and  L.  p.  dilatatum  are  both  worth  growing. 
L.  palustre  is  an  excellent  bog  plant. 

LEYCESTERIA  FORMOSA  is  a  handsome  shrub  of  distinct  appearance  ;  it  has  white  flowers 
with  purple  bracts,  and  will  grow  well  in  nearly  all  soils. 

LILAC.      See  SYRINGA. 

MAGNOLIA  is  one  of  the  most  ornamental  and  attractive  flowering  trees  or  shrubs  known, 
but  is  not  quite  hardy  as  a  bush  in  the  North.  M.  conspicua,  (syn.  M.  Yulan), 
is  a  handsome  deciduous  species  of  erect  growth,  its  numerous  large  white 
flowers  being  very  conspicuous  and  delightfully  fragrant.  M.  Soulangeana  is  perhaps 
better  than  its  parents  (M.  conspicua  x  M.  obovata)  ;  it  is  of  similar  habit,  but 
the  flowers  are  shaded  purple.  The  striking  effect  of  the  flowers,  relieved  against 
the  bare  deciduous  branches  and  the  wall  of  a  house  can  only  be  judged  by  those 
who  have  seen  them.  The  following  are  good  and  interesting  species :  M. 
acuminata,  the  "  Cucumber  Tree  ;  "  M.  grandiflora,  M.  Lennei,  M.  macrophylla,  M. 
parviflora,  M.  stellata,  and  M.  Watsoni. 

OLEARIA  HAASTII  is  a  most  useful  evergreen  flowering  shrub,  excellent  for  the  seaside. 
O.  macrodonta  is  a  good  town  shrub.  T.S. 

OSMANTHUS.  An  evergreen  shrub  effective  in  the  border,  and  somewhat  resembling  a 
holly;  it  has  prickly  foliage  and  bears  small  fragrant  white  flowers.  The  most  distinct 
varieties  of  O.  aquifolius  are  O.  a.  ilicifolius,  O.  a.  latifolius,  O.  a.  purpureus,  O.  a. 
variegatus,  and  O.  a.  rotundifolius,  but  O.  Aquifolius  is  the  most  satisfactory.  T.S. 

I 

297 


TREES  AND  SHRUBS  FOR  GARDEN  AND  PARK. 

Flowering  PERNETTYA  MUCRONATA  grows  2  to  3  ft.  high,  and  when  planted  in  groups  soon  makes  a 
shrubs.  dense  mass  of  growth.  The  fruits  are  very  showy  ;  there  are  red,  white  and  pink 

forms.  They  are  superb  for  Winter  effect,  and  are  easily  grown  in  almost  any  soil 
or  situation. 

PHILADELPHIA.  These  ornamental  and  deciduous  shrubs  are  welcomed  by  lovers  of  old- 
fashioned  flowers,  and  are  not  only  hardy,  but  succeed  in  any  kind  of  soil  or 
atmosphere.  The  best  form  is  P.  coronarius,  the  "  Mock  Orange,"  commonly  known 
as  "  Syringa,"  and  grows  about  9  ft.  high.  There  are  other  varieties  of  the  type. 
P.  grandiflorus,  with  the  varieties  P.  g.  floribundus  and  laxus,  are  good  sorts  which 
grow  about  15  ft.  high.  P.  Lemoinei,  a  hybrid  (P.  microphyllus  x  P.  coronarius,) 
is  a  very  good  type  about  3  ft.  high  ;  the  variety  P.  erectus  is  also  an 
improvement.  T.S. 

PIERIS,  a  genus  of  the  Order  Ericaceae  allied  to  Andromeda,  which  needs  similar  positions 
and  treatment.  The  species  are  P.  floribunda,  P.  japonica,  P.  mariana,  "Stagger 
Bush,"  and  P.  nitida.  P. 

POTENTILLA  FRUTicosA  is  a  pretty  shrub  2  to  4  ft.  high  and  bears  numerous  small 
yellow  flowers. 

PTELEA  TRIFOLIATA,  the  "  Hop  Tree,"  is  an  interesting  tree  or  large  shrub  ;  it  bears  fruits 
which  resemble  hops,  and  are  very  conspicuous ;  there  are  several  varieties  of  the 
type. 

RHODODENDRONS.  The  hybrids  of  some  of  the  hardy  species  are  generally  admitted  to 
be  the  showiest  of  hardy  shrubs,  being  exceedingly  striking  when  planted  in  groups 
and  masses  in  the  woodlands  bounding  the  gardens,  embracing  as  they  do  every 
shade  of  colour  from  the  purest  white  to  the  richest  crimson  and  purple,  the  colours 
of  some  varieties  being  simply  gorgeous.  The  effectiveness  of  masses  of  Rhodo- 
dendrons is  often  lost  by  the  indiscriminate  mixing  of  varieties  ;  much  better  results 
can  be  obtained  by  planting  groups  of  six  or  eight  together,  and  confining  the 
mass  to,  say,  as  many  varieties,  carefully  arranging  the  colours.  Although  peat-loving 
plants,  they  succeed  admirably  on  an}'  good  loam,  provided  that  it  does  not  rest 
on  limestone  or  chalk.  The  hybrid  varieties  are  numberless,  and  it  is  a  difficult 
matter  to  select  a  few  of  the  best  without  feeling  that  there  are  many  other  good 
forms  which  ought  to  be  included.  The  following  will  be  found  excellent  :— 

RHODODENDRON  ALARM,    centre    white    deeply    tinged          RHODODENDRON  FASTUOSUM  FL.  PL.,    double   lilac. 

with  scarlet.  ,,  FREDERICK  WATERER,     fiery    crimson, 
ALBUM  GRANDIFLORUM,  blush.                                                           very    fine. 

ASCOT  BRILLIANT,  splendid  red.  „  HELEN  WATERER,  pure  white  with  crim- 
ATROSANGUINEUM,  blood  red.                                                             son  margin. 

BLANDIANUM,  rosy  crimson.  ,,  IAGO,  rosy  carmine,  early. 

BOULE  DE  NEIGE,  an  early  white  var-  ,,  JACKSONI,     red,     early. 

iety.  ,,  JOHN  WATERER,   dark   crimson. 

CARACTACUS,  rich  purple  crimson,  good  „  JOHN  WALTER,  dark  crimson. 

truss.  „  LADY   ELINOR   CATHCART,  light   rose 
CAUCASICUM  ALBUM,  white,  fine  foliage,                                          with    chocolate    spots. 

early.  ,,  LORD  ROBERTS. 

,,             CHEVALIER  FELIX  DE   SAUVAGE,  deep  ,,  LUDWIG  LEOPOLD  LIEBIG,  bright  cher- 

rose  pink  with  dark  blotches.  ry  red. 

CHRISTMAS  CHEER,    deep    pink,    early.  „  MICHAEL  WATERER,    crimson    spotted. 

„  CUNNINGHAM'S  WHITE,     most     useful  .      ,,  MADAME  CARVALHO,    pure   white,    fine 

for  general  planting,   early.  truss. 

CYNTHIA,  large  truss,  pink.  „  MRS.  JOHN  GLUTTON,    the    best   hardy 
„              DONCASTER,  red.                                                                                 white. 

„              EVERESTIANUM,  rosy  lilac,  spotted  and  „  MRS.  JOHN  WATERER,     rosy    crimson, 

fringed,    an    excellent    bloomer,    fine  ,,  MRS.  HOLFORD,  rich  salmon,  large  truss, 

foliage.  ,,  NERO,  dark  rosy  purple,  finely  spotted. 

298 


TREES  AND  SHRUBS  FOR  GARDEN  AND  PARK 

RHODODENDRON  PINK  PEARL,    the    finest   of    all   the          RHODODENDRON  STELLA,  pale  rose  with  chocolate  blotch.     Flowering 

later    introductions  ;    it    bears    very  ,,  THE  QUEEN,  blush  changing  to  white,     shrubs 

freely,    immense    heads   of   beautiful  ,,  THE  WARRIOR,  rosy  scarlet, 

pink   wax-like   flowers,  should  be  in  ,,  VAUBAN,    mauve    with    yellow     blotch 

every  collection.  ,,  WHITE  PEARL,   excellent    white. 

PURITY,  white  with  yellow  eye.  ,,  WILLIAM     DOWNING,     dark     puce-col- 

SIR  HENRY  HAVELOCK,  red.  cured. 

SIR  ISAAC  NEWTON,   plum  colour.  ,,  WILLIAM  AUSTIN,  deep  red. 

There  is  a  host  of  useful  dwarf  evergreen  species  which  make  a  most  handsome 
display  when  in  flower ;  some  may  be  used  to  advantage  on  the  rockery  or  for  massing 
in  the  shrubbery  border.  It  will  be  sufficient  to  mention  the  most  important.  R. 
racemosum  is  a  Chinese  dwarf  Rhododendron,  growing  about  2  ft.  high,  with  a  mass  of 
shoots  springing  from  the  base  which  bear  beautiful  pink  flowers  ;  it  is  a  plant  deserving 
extended  cultivation.  R.  rubiginosum,  from  Yunnan,  grows  2  to  3  ft.  high.  R. 
yunnanense  ;  R.  lepidotum,  from  the  Alpine  Himalaya,  and  R.  ferrugineum,  from  the 
Alps  of  Europe,  with  its  varieties,  are  very  useful  for  the  rockery.  R.  Wilsoni  and 
R.  arbutifolium  are  of  garden  origin.  The  few  mentioned  by  no  means  exhaust  the 
species  which  are  valuable  for  planting,  as  there  is  quite  a  large  collection  of 
species  alone.  There  is,  besides  the  evergreen,  the  deciduous  section  of  Rhododendrons, 
which  is  familiarly  known  as  the  Azalea,  and  which  gives  one  of  the  finest  displays 
of  the  season.  It  will  be  sufficient  to  give  the  species  alone,  for  it  is  well  known 
that  it  is  from  these  so  many  of  the  fine  hybrids  have  been  produced  : — R. 
calendulaceum,  R.  flavum,  R.  nudiflorum,  R.  hodora,  R.  rhombicum,  R.  sinense  (syn. 
Azalea  mollis),  R.  Vaseyi,  and  R.  viscosum,  the  "  Swamp  Honeysuckle."  In  all  nurseries 
of  repute  a  large  quantity  of  good  hybrids  are  offered  under  names  adopted  by  the 
trade.  T.P. 
RHUS.  This  genus  is  comprised  of  small  deciduous  trees  and  shrubs.  It  is  a  very 

useful   subject   for   rough   shrubberies.      The   most   prominent   forms   are   R.   cotinoides, 

the  "  Chittam  Wood  ;  "  R.  Cotinus,  the  "  Venetian  Sumach  ;  "   R.  glabra,  the  "  Smooth 

Sumach  ;  "    and    R.  Osbeckii.       T. 
RIBES    (Flowering    Currants).       These    old-fashioned   garden   shrubs    are   general    favourites, 

with   their   profusion   of   bright   flowers   so  welcome   in   the   early  Spring.      They  grow 

readily  in  most  soils.     R.   aureum,   the  "  Buffalo    or    Missouri    Currant  "    (with    yellow 

flowers),   R.   cerum    (white  flowers),   Gordonianum    (a  hybrid,   sanguineum    x  aureum)  ; 

R.   sanguineum,    the     '  Flowering    Currant,"  and    its    varieties   are   all   handsome.     R. 

speciosum    (syn.    R.    fuchsioides),    with    red    flowers    resembling    a   fuchsia,    is   a   very 

pretty   form.      T.S. 
SAMBUCUS    (Elder).      Suitable  shrubs  for  large  masses  of  foliage  in  shrubberies.      The  best 

species    and    varieties    are    S.    canadensis ;      S.   nigra,    the  "  Common    Elder,"  with    its 

varieties,   S    racemosa,    the  "  Red-berried   Elder ; "    while    S.  r.   laciniata,  a    cut-leaved 

form,  and  S.  r.  plumosa   aurea,   a   splendid   golden    variety,    are   the   most    serviceable. 
SKIMMIA.       Dwarf    evergreen    shrubs    having    thick,    fleshy    foliage,    and    bearing    heads    of 

white  flowers  in   the   Spring  and   red   berries   in   the   Autumn.      The  chief   species   are 

S.   Fortunei,   S.  japonica,   and  S.  laureola.       T.S. 
SNOWBERRY.      See   SYMPHORICARPUS. 
SPARTIUM    JUNCEUM,   the     '  Yellow   Spanish    Broom,"    belongs   to   the   Order    Leguminosae. 

It    should    be    more    largely    planted    than    at    present,    as    it    gives    a    fine    display    of 

yellow    flowers.      T. 
SPIRAEA.      A    large    genus    comprising    many    shrubby    species.       The    most    useful    are    S. 

Aitchisoni,  S.  arguta,  S.  bracteata,  S.  bullata,  S.  discolor,  S.  Douglasii,  S.  japonica  and 

its   varieties,   especially   S.    j.    "  Anthony    Waterer."       Other    forms    are    S.   prunifolia, 

S.  Lindleyana   and   S.  Thunbergi.      T.S. 

299 


TREES  AND  SHRUBS  FOR  GARDEN  AND  PARK. 

Flowering  STAPHYLEA.  A  small  genus  with  deciduous  shrubs  bearing  white  flowers.  The  most 
shrubs.  interesting  are :  S.  colchica ;  S.  pinnata,  the  "  Bladder-nut ; "  S.  Coulombieri,  and 

S.  trifolia,  the  "  American  Bladder-nut."  U. 

SYMPHORICARPUS.  A  genus  distinct  owing  to  the  fine  display  of  white  berries  in  the 
Autumn.  S.  racemosus,  the  "  Snowberry,"  is  the  type  ;  S.  vulgaris  is  the  "  Indian 
Currant,"  or  "Coral-berry."  U.T.S. 

SYRINGA  (Lilac).  Shrubs  of  this  genus  deserve  a  place  in  every  garden,  not,  as  is  usual, 
merely  for  the  sake  of  variety,  but  arranged  in  masses  in  borders  devoted  entirely 
to  them  ;  they  are  useful  planted  as  a  screen,  either  in  the  shape  of  a  thick  hedge 
or  border.  It  will  be  interesting  to  note  some  of  the  species  and  hybrids.  S. 
Chinensis,  the  "  Rouen  Lilac,"  S.  Emodi  and  its  varieties,  S.  japonica,  S.  persica, 
the  "  Persian  Lilac,"  with  its  varieties  S.  p.  alba  and  S.  p.  laciniata  ;  while  S. 
vulgaris,  the  "  Common  Lilac,"  recommends  itself.  A  list  of  hybrid  forms  are  as 
selected  :  S.  alba,  a.  grandiflora,  Charles  X.,  La  Ville  de  Troyes,  Marie  Legraye, 
President  Grevy,  Souvenir  de  L.  Spath,  Lemoinei,  Leon  Simon  and  Michael  Buchner. 
T.S.U. 

TAMARIX.  An  excellent  seaside  shrub.  T.  anglica,  the  "  Tamarisk,"  with  pink  flowers, 
T.  chinensis,  T.  gallica,  T.  hispida,  T.  Pallasii  and  its  lovely  variety  T.  P.  rosea, 
are  the  best  forms.  T.S. 

ULEX  EUROP/EUS,  the  common  "Furze,  Gorse  or  Whin,"  as  it  is  variously  styled  in 
different  districts.  The  variety  U.  e.  flore-pleno  is  of  double  form.  U.  nanus  and 
U.  Gallii  are  interesting ;  the  latter  has  masses  of  flowers  late  in  the  season.  T.S. 

VERONICA.  This  genus  has  many  useful  shrubs,  especially  for  seaside  gardens.  The 
best  forms  both  for  beauty  of  flower  and  foliage,  are  V.  Andersonii,  V.  anomala, 
V.  angustifolia,  V.  buxifolia  and  V.  Traversii.  S. 

VIBURNUM.  Most  interesting  and  useful  shrubs,  very  effective  for  the  shrubbery.  V. 
Opulus,  the  "  Guelder  Rose,"  with  V.  O.  sterile,  the  "  Snowball  Tree  ;  "  are  the  best 
known  ;  while  V.  acerifolium,  "  Dockmackie  ;  "  V.  Lantana,  the  "  Wayfaring  Tree  ;  " 
lentago,  the  "  Sheep-berry  ;  "  V.  Tinus,  the  "  Laurustinus  ;  "  V.  plicatum  and  V. 
tomentosum,  with  its  varieties,  are  very  interesting.  A  very  promising  species  named 
V.  Carlesii,  which  is  very  sweet-scented,  deserves  to  have  a  sheltered  position.  T.S. 

WEIGELA.      See    DIERVILLA. 

XANTHOCERAS  SORBIFOLIA.  A  large  deciduous  shrub,  bearing  racemes  of  white  flowers 
with  a  blotch  at  the  base  of  the  petal.  It  is  worth  growing  as  it  is  a  very 
handsome  shrub. 

ZENOBIA.  An  Ericaceous  shrub  growing  some  2%  ft.  high.  It  is  very  pretty  when 
planted  in  a  mass ;  it  bears  white  flowers  in  June.  The  varieties  Z.  pulverulenta 
and  Z.  quercifolia  are  good  forms. 

EVERGREEN    SHRUBS. 

Evergreen  In  addition    to   the   foregoing   there   are    certain   evergreen   shrubs,   grown    entirely   for 

shrubs.  their  foliage.       There  is  not  a  great  number  of  forms,   but   as   a  class   they  are  amongst 

the  most  valuable  material  which  the  garden  maker  has   at  his  disposal.      For  the  most 
part  they   are   extremely  hardy  and  suitable  both   for   town   and   seaside   gardens. 
AUCUBA.      An  evergreen   largely  used  in   town  gardens,  but  often  planted  to  the  exclusion 
of  choice  shrubs.      There  are  two  species,   A.  japonica,   with  a  host  of  varieties,   and 
A.   himalaica  from   the  Eastern   Himalaya. 

Buxus  SEMPERVIRENS,  the  common  Box,  is  valuable  as  a  town  plant,  as  undergrowth 
or  for  shady  borders ;  also  for  the  formation  of  hedges  or  as  single  specimens  for 
clipping  or  otherwis(e.  The  best  varieties  are  the  Handsworth  box,  a  bright  shiny 
greyish-green  variety,  which  has  somewhat  larger  leaves  than  the  ordinary  one,  and 


300 


TREES  AND  SHRUBS  FOR  GARDEN  AND  PARK. 

a  new    broad-leaved    variety,    called   B.   s.    latifolia   nova,    which    is  darker    in    colour     Evergreen 
than    the    preceding.      Another    very    useful  variety   is   B.   s.   myrtifolia,   while  quite  a     shrubs. 
large    number    of    varieties    of    B.    sempervirens    are    offered    by    nurserymen.      The 
"  Edging    Box,"    is    B.    s.    suffruticosa.      T.S. 

EUONYMUS,  a  class  of  shrubs  which  is  indispensable  for  planting  in  seaside  or  town 
gardens.  In  London,  there  are  few  if  any  shrubs  which  succeed  so  well,  whilst 
the  number  of  diverse  varieties  almost  makes  it  possible  to  make  an  effective 
plantation  by  their  use  alone.  E.  japonicus  is  the  evergreen  type.  It  is  not 
necessary  to  name  any  of  the  varieties,  as  they  are  all  good  and  effective.  E. 
radicans  and  its  varieties  should  be  used  for  low  carpet  shrubberies  or  as  a  border. 
S.T. 

ILEX  (Holly).  Hollies  are  of  all  evergreen  shrubs  the  most  reliable.  Their  extreme 
hardiness  in  all  sorts  of  positions,  their  power  to  withstand  smoke  and  chemicals, 
and  the  fact  that,  whilst  preferring  a  moderately  heavy  loam,  they  succeed  on  almost 
any  soil,  growing  in  shade  or  sun,  coupled  with  their  power  to  withstand  strong 
draughts  and  biting  winds,  gives  them  a  unique  position  among  evergreen  shrubs. 
Moreover,  hollies  are  interesting  from  the  fact  that  they  are  truly  British, 
most  of  the  varieties  having  sprung  from  the  common  Ilex  Aquifolium.  From  the 
numerous  varieties  now  grown  only  a  few  are  selected,  but  this  list  will  be  found 
quite  long  enough  for  practical  purposes.  Taking  the  green  varieties  first,  the 
following  are  all  good.  S.T.U. 

ILEX  AQUIFOLIUM,     The  "  Common  Holly,"  invaluable         ILEX    A.  FRUCTOLUTEO,  yellow  berried.     This  variety 
for  hedges.  has  the  attraction  of  bearing  its  beautiful 

,,     A.  BALEARICA.  yellow  berries  on  very  young  plants,  but  apart 

,,     A.    CONTORT A   (Corkscrew  Holly).      This    variety  from  this  it  is  an  excellent  green  holly. 

is  of  moderate  growth  and  compact.  ,,     A.  LAURIFOLIA.     Of  all  the  green  hollies  this  is 

„     A.  DONNINGTONENSIS.     An   excellent  variety  for  the  handsomest,  its  fine  dark  glossy  leaves 

withstanding  the  smoke  of  towns.  giving  it  a  massiveness  which  renders  it  a 

,,        DAHOON  OR  I.  A.  SCOTICA.      A     very     hardy  very  desirable  subject  for  the  back  of   the 

smooth-leaved  variety.  shrubbery  borders. 

„    A.    FEROX    (Hedgehog   Holly),   a   dwarf   variety  „     MADERIENSE.      Bears   handsome  red   berries  on 

with   very  prickly  leaves.      The  plant  is  of  young  plants. 

very  compact  habit,  more  inclined  to  make  ,,     MINORCA,  syn.  balearica.     A  small-leaved  variety, 

a  spreading  than  an  upright  bush.  excellent    for   borders. 

,,     A.  HODGKINSII.     Probably  the  best  of  the  broad-  ,,     MYRTIFOLIA,  Myrtle-leaved.     Also  a  small-leaved 

leaved  varieties,   and  one  which  is  a  great  variety  :   the  stems  of  this  holly  add  much 

favourite   with  all   town  gardeners.     It  is  a  to  its  effectiveness. 

sturdy    grower    and    makes    a    very    hand-  ,,     PLATYPHYLLA.     A   variety  introduced  from   the 

some   shrub.  Canary   Islands. 

The    following    are    gold    and    silver    variegated    varieties  : — 
ILEX    AQUIFOLIUM   ARGENTEA    MEDIO-PICTA,   "  Silver  ILEX    A.    AUREA    PENDULA,    "  Waterer's    Gold   Weep- 

Milkmaid,"  a  great  favourite.  ing." 

„     A.  ARGENTEA   REGINA  "  Silver  Queen,"  the  best  „     A.  FLAVESCENS,  "  Moonlight." 

of  the  silver  Hollies.  ,,     A.  FEROX  ARGENTEA,  "  Silver  Hedgehog  Holly  " 

„      A.    ARGENTEA   MARGINATA.  ,,      A.    HANDSWORTHIENSIS,    "  HandSWOrth     New    Sil- 

„     A.  AUREA  REGINA,  "  Golden  Queen."     This  may  ver." 

be  regarded  as  the  finest  of  all  the  variegated  „     A.  LATIFOLIA  AUREO-MARGINATA. 

Hollies,  and  makes  a  splendid  tree,  as  the  ,,     A.  WATERIANA. 

leaves  are  large   and  of    a   beautiful   golden 
colour. 

LAURUSTINUS.      See  Viburnum   tinus  under  flowering  shrubs. 

LAVANDULA  (or  Lavender).  No  garden  which  seeks  the  beauty  of  homeliness  can  dispense 
with  the  beautiful  gray-leaved  bushes  of  Lavender  and  its  becoming  associate  Rose- 
mary, which  give  out  their  sweet  odours  when  rubbed,  and  have  the  added  charm 
of  their  blue-gray  flowers.  They  are  quite  acquisitions  for  hot,  sandy  soils  and  are 

301 


TREES  AND  SHRUBS  FOR  GARDEN  AND  PARK. 

Evergreen  proof  against  prolonged  droughts.  Lavender  looks  best  in  long  hedges  or  masses, 

shrubs.  and  is  best  propagated  by  early  Summer  cuttings.  After  the  third  or  fourth  year 

of  growth  the  bushes  deteriorate  and  need  replanting. 

PRUNUS  LAUROCERASUS.  (syn.  Cerasus  Laurocerasus),  the  "  Laurel,"  is  so  well  known  as 
to  require  little  notice  here.  So  many  gardens  seem  to  be  planted  entirely  with 
them  that  a  word  of  caution  is  necessary  for,  owing  to  their  vigorous  growth,  they 
will  oust  the  more  beautiful  but  slower-growing  shrubs  unless  kept  steadily  within 
bounds.  Laurels  should  generally  be  considered  as  nursers,  planted  to  furnish  the 
beds  and  give  protection  to  other  shrubs  until  they  are  sufficiently  established  to 
take  care  of  themselves,  when  they  may  be  lifted  and  used  elsewhere  as  under- 
growths,  for  which  purpose  they  are  invaluable.  They  may  also  be  planted 
permanently  in  places  where  a  quick-growing  screen  is  required,  or  for  furnishing 
a  steep  bank  with  foliage  instead  of  grass.  Laurel  hedges  are  not,  as  a  rule,  a 
great  success,  as  in  a  few  years  they  become  ragged  and  woody  at  the 
bottom.  The  best  form  for  this  purpose  is  P.  L.  caucasica,  which,  if  kept  low 
and  trimmed  with  a  knife  instead  of  with  shears,  makes  a  fairly  good  fence.  As  an 
undergrowth  P.  L.  rotundifolia  is  probably  the  best  variety.  P.  L.  latifolia  makes  a 
fine  shrub  if  kept  carefully  pruned.  Other  varieties  are  only  interesting  as  botanical 
specimens.  T.S. 

PRUNUS  LUSITANICA  (syn.  Cerasus  lusitanica),  the  "  Portugal  Laurel,"  is  in  every  way  a 
most  valuable  shrub,  and  is  adapted  to  any  position,  whether  windy  or  exposed, 
and  will  do  well  in  most  town  gardens.  For  hedging  it  is  superior  to  the  common 
Laurel,  the  smaller  dark  leaves  giving  a  neater  appearance.  The  small-leaved 
varieties  are  very  good.  T.S. 

PHILLYREA.  These  comparatively  little  known  shrubs  are  very  similar  in  appearance  and 
growth  to  small-leaved  evergreen  Oaks.  They  make  fine  bushes,  growing  up  to  8 
or  10  feet  in  height ;  they  succeed  in  most  soils,  and  are  valuable  for  town  or 
suburban  gardens,  or  for  cold,  windy  situations.  The  best  species  and  varieties 
are  P.  angustifolia,  P.  latifolia  with  its  varieties,  P.  ilicifolia  and  P.  rotundifolia  ; 
P.  media,  with  P.  m.  buxifolia,  P.  oleaefolia  and  P.  Vilmoriniana.  T.S. 

QUERCUS.  This  genus  includes  many  very  useful  evergreen  trees,  which  in  some  localities 
are  invaluable.  This  is  especially  so  near  the  coast  or  in  suburban  gardens  which 
are  near  smoky  towns.  Along  the  South  and  West  coasts  of  England  they  grow 
and  succeed  quite  close  to  the  sea,  but  in  many  places  along  the  East  coast, 
especially  if  in  exposed  situations,  they  are  not  so  successful.  The  effect  of  a 
short  avenue  of  Evergreen  Oaks,  more  particularly  when  the  branches  meet  over  the 
path,  is  very  fine  indeed,  while  for  a  wind  screen  they  are  excellent,  the  density  of 
their  foliage  forming  a  veritable  wall  of  greenery.  Evergreen  Oaks  are  very  difficult 
to  establish  unless  they  are  purchased  in  pots,  in  which  way  many  nurserymen 
grow  them.  The  best  forms  are  O.  Ilex,  the  "  Holm  Oak,"  and  its  varieties  ; 
Q.  acuta  Q.  coccifera,  the  "  Kermes  Oak  ;  "  Q.  glauca  and  Q.  phillyreoides.  T.S. 

ROSEMARY.  Rosemarinus  officinalis.  This  hardy  evergreen  shrub  should  be  found, 
together  with  Lavender,  in  every  garden.  It  is  effective  all  the  year  round,  and 
especially  in  Winter.  Rosemary  is  best  propagated  by  early  Summer  cuttings ;  it 
prefers  the  base  of  a  low  wall,  but  it  does  not  resent  hot,  sandy  soils  and  full 
exposure  to  the  sun. 


302 


FIG.     365. — CLIMBERS     AT     WOOD.     DEVONSHIRE,     LOOKING     TOWARDS     THE     HOUSE. 


FIG.    366.— CLIMBERS    AT    WOOD,     DEVONSHIRE,     LOOKING     AWAY     FROM     THE     HOUSE. 


CHAPTER    XIX. 

Climbers,  the  jaunty  prodigals  of  the  garden,  led  by  the  irrepressible  ivy  green 
or  the  all -enveloping  Virginian -creeper,  so  resplendent  in  Autumn,  are  invaluable  in 
almost  every  situation.  From  the  tangled  forest  brake  where  added  vegetation  is 
superfluous,  to  the  dingy  slum  where  every  green  leaf  is  welcome,  they  intrude  unabashed, 
mounting  up  by  their  clinging  tendrils  and  flinging  out  their  prehensory  masses  and 
sprays.  In  addition  to  their  beauty  of  foliage  and  blossom,  they  possess,  in  the  honey- 
suckle and  its  kindred,  auxiliaries  which  win  us  by  their  odours  rare  and  sweet,  which 
secure  them  the  desired  recognition.  Everywhere  they  gain  a  place  from  economic 
reasons  ;  the  profuse  display  which  they  make  for  so  little  ground  space  afforded,  gives 
them  a  decided  popularity  beyond  that  of  self-supporting  plants.  In  the  garden  they  are 
beautiful  trained  over  verandahs,  forming  sheets  of  pleasing  foliage,  delighting  the  eye 
with  their  brilliantly  coloured  flowers  on  backgrounds  of  cool  greenery,  making  shaded 
walks  and  long  protected  bowers,  where  we  can  enjoy  at  sultry  noon  the  coolness  of 
declining  day.  Wherever  there  are  terrace  walls  fronted  with  flower  beds,  the  general 
effect  is  assisted  considerably  if  the  wall  is  clothed  with  the  foliage  of  choice  Ivies, 
Ceanothus,  or  Cratsegus,  which  make  a  much  more  effective  background  for  flowers 
than  brick  or  stone. 

There     are    limitations    and     bounds     within    which     climbers    should    be    restrained.     Too 
Sometimes  the  grosser  common  ivy,  which  can  subsist  on  the  mortar  in  walls  even  when     prodigal 
severed  from    the   root,   and  the  Virginian-creeper  are  allowed  to  overstep  these,   as  when     climbers. 
they    are    allowed    to    make    costly    and    dangerous    inroads    into    the    walls    and    roofs    of 
habitations,  or  hide  beautifully  dressed  stonework  and  even  fine  carving.      With  thought- 
less   people     this     brings     discredit     on     the     whole     family     of    the     garden     designer's 
reinforcements,  whereas,  if  but  a  few  moments'  reflection  were  given  to  the  proper  selection 
of  climbers,   trouble   would  not   follow.       Similar  remonstrances  might   be  expressed  when, 
in    those    parts   of    the   grounds    where    it    is    desirable    to    have  a  clean-cut  appearance  of 
columnar  tree  trunks   and  shorn  grass,  ivy  and  honeysuckle  are  allowed  to  grow  over  both 
young    and   old   trees  indiscriminately,  and  envelope   all   in    an   atmosphere   of   unrestraint. 

On  the  other  hand,  much  needless  expense  is  often  lavished  upon  the  adornment  and 
detail  of  supplementary  buildings  such  as  entrances,  gate  piers  and  even  outbuildings, 
where,  if  a  little  foresight  had  been  exercised  and  the  climbers  taken  into  account  when 
planning,  any  rough  foundation  of  broken  stone  or  brick  combined  with  cement  roughcast 
would  have  answered  the  purpose,  though  in  illustration  No.  367  the  eye  demands  the 
clear-cut  lines  of  the  noble  gate  piers  to  form  a  complement  to  the  fine  wrought 
iron,  there  being  sufficient  vegetation  in  the  Scots  firs  and  the  climber-clad  walls. 


305 


CLIMBERS    FOR    WALLS,    PERGOLAS    AND    TRELLIS. 


Climbers.  In    the   following   list    of   climbers    are    included   a  number  of  plants,   such   as   Garrya 

elliptica  and  Berberis  Darwinii,  which  are  of  a  shrubby  growth.  These  are  intended  for 
covering  low  walls,  or  for  planting  in  positions  against  the  house  or  other  buildings  of 
no  great  height  :  they  are  most  effective,  for  instance,  placed  under  a  bay  or  oriel 
window.  They  should  be  trained  as  half  climbers  and  half  bush,  the  principal  branches 
being  secured  to  the  walls,  but  the  lateral  shoots  allowed  to  grow  outwards. 
ABELIA.  A  pretty  genus  of  small 

shrubs,  which  are  fitting  subjects 

for  covering  walls.     A.  chinensis, 

with    pinkish    flowers  ;     A.    flori- 

bunda,    flowers     rosy    purple    in 

colour  ;    and   A.   triflora,    blooms 

very  sweet  scented,  deserve  places 

on   a  sheltered  wall. 
AMPELOPSIS  VEITCHII.      See  VITIS. 
ARISTOLOCHIA  SIPHO,  the  large-leaved 

climber    which    is    growing    over 

Professor     Ruskin's      house      at 

Brantwood.      It    is    a    deciduous 

species,   but  the  shoots  are  green 

in  Winter.    This  plant   flourishes 

in   almost   any   aspect. 
AZARA    MICROPHYLLA,   a   small-leaved 

and  very  showy  hardy  evergreen 

shrub  or  climber,  with  numerous 

small    green    flowers    which    are 

very    fragrant. 
BUDDLEIA,  as  described  in  the  list  of 

shrubs,   is    an   excellent   shrubby 

climber    for    covering  walls,    and 

one  which  does  well  by  the  sea. 

The  best  forms  are  B.  variabilis, 

B.  v.  Veitchiana,  and  B.  globosa. 
CALYSTEGIA,     the    "  Bear-bind,"     be- 
longing   to   the   Order   Convolvu-         FIG.  367. — NOBLE  ARCHITECTURE  OBSCURED  BY  TOO  RAMPANT 

laceae,  makes  a  splendid  climber,  CLIMBERS. 

and  covers  quickly.      The  following   are   distinct   forms  :    C.  hederacea,  C.  sepium,  the 

"  Common  Bear-bind  ;  "   C.  Soldanella,  and  C.  macrostegia. 
CARPENTERIA    CALIFORNICA,     an    ornamental    tall-growing    shrub,     thriving    in    any    good 

soil,    but   requiring   the    protection    of   a   South   wall.      It    has   long   lanceolate   leaves, 

white    on    the    underside,   and    white    flowers. 
CEANOTHUS.      In    warm   sheltered    positions,    or   near   the   coast,    few   climbers    surpass   the 

Ceanothus.      The  habit  of  the  plant,  which  is  half  shrubby  and  evergreen,  commends 

it  for  many  positions  where  it  is   difficult   to  find  a  suitable  climber,   as  for  instance 

round    a    verandah    pillar,     clothing    a    piece    of    blank    wall,     or    high    terrace    wall. 

It    is    not    perfectly    hardy   in    Scotland    or    the    North    of    England,    and    resents    a 

cold  clay  soil.      The    best   'forms   are    C.    americanus,    the    "  New    Jersey    Tea,"    with 

white    flowers  ;     C.    azureus    (blue),    C.    divaricatus    (pale    blue),    C.    papillosus,    with 

narrow  leaves  and  blue   flowers  ;    C.  rigidus,  flowers   a   splendid   rich    blue   colour ;    C. 

thyrsiflorus,   the    "  California   Lilac,"   and  C.  Veitchianus.      A   large  number  of  garden 

hybrids    are  offered  by  nurserymen,  the  best  being  Gloire   de   Versailles   (blue),  Indigo 


306 


CLIMBERS    FOR    WALLS,    PERGOLAS    AND    TRELLIS. 


(the  finest   of   all    the   hybrids),  George   Simon   (rose),    Albert    Pettet    (rose),    Gloire  de 

Plantieres   (blue),  and  Perle  Rose. 
CHIMONANTHUS    FRAGRANS,    with    C.    F.    GRANDIFLORUS,   makes    a    splendid    fragrant    wall 

plant    suitable    for    a    sheltered    position. 
CONVOLVULUS,    the     "  Bindweed,"    is    a    very    common    climber,    but    nevertheless    pretty. 

There   is   quite   a   large   number   of    forms,    all   of   which   are   useful. 
COTONEASTER.      Many   of   the   species    in   this   genus    have    rather   a   flat   form   of   growth, 

and    adapt    themselves    readily   for    covering   walls.      C.    microphylla,    C.    angustifolia, 

C.  Simonsii,   and  C.  rotundifolia    are    suitable    for    covering    low  walls    or    for   training 

up  the   jambs    and   mullions   of   a   window. 
CRAT^EGUS    PYRACANTHA,    with    its    clusters    of 

red   berries    in   the   Autumn  and  Winter,  is 

useful  for  covering  a  wall ;    the   flowers  are 

similar  to  most  other  thorns.    C.  P.  Lelandii 

is  an  improved  variety  of  the  type. 
CLEMATIS.     Although     decidedly    popular,    these 

climbers   are   not    employed    as    extensively 

as    they    deserve    to    be.       The    ease    with 

which   they  can    be    reared  ought   in    itself 

to    be    sufficient    inducement     to     extended 

cultivation.    For  giving  a  picturesque  char- 
acter   to    a    cottage    in    the    least    possible 

time    C.    montana    is    difficult    to    surpass  ; 

for     the     porch     C.     Jackmanii,     with      its 

beautiful  purple  flowers  will,  within  a  very 

short   time,    make   a    show  ;     for  a  pergola, 

C.  flammula,  C.  montana,  or  C.  vitalba  are 

excellent.     The    choicer    varieties,   such    as 

C.  .    Beauty     of     Worcester,     C.     Anderson 

Henryi,    etc.,    make    a    grand    show     when 

grown     laterally    over    wooden    pillars  ;     in 

fact,    there     are     few     positions     in     which 

FIG.  368. 

Clematis  of  some  sort  may  not  be  planted. 

No    fear    of    monotony    from    lack     of    varieties     need     be     entertained,    as    the     number 
obtainable    are    quite    sufficient    security   against     this.      The     following    are     all     good : — 


Climbers. 


ALBA  MAGNA,  white  flowers  with  purple 
brown  anthers 

ANDERSON  HENRYI,  one  of  the  best  ; 
creamy  white  large  flowers  ;  effect- 
ive if  trained  over  trellis 

BEAUTY  OF  WORCESTER  produces  single 
and  double  flowers  on  same  plant  ; 
bluish  violet,  with  white  stamens. 
A  vigorous  grower  and  a  remarkably 
free  and  continuous  bloomer,  flowering 
at  almost  every  joint ... 

BLUE  GEM,  pale  cerulean  blue,  fading 
to  satin  mauve 

COUNTESS  OF  LOVELACE,  bluish  violet, 
double 

DUCHESS  OF  EDINBURGH,  an  excellent 
and  sweet-scented  variety  with  dou- 
ble white  flowers 


Time  of 
Flowering. 

July  to  Oct. 
July   to   Oct. 


June  to  Oct. 
July  to  Oct. 
June  to  July. 

June  to  July. 


FAIRY  QUEEN,  pale  flesh-pink  bar 

FLAMMULA,  sweet-scented,  white,  re- 
commended for  pergolas 

JACKMANII,  intense  violet- purple 
,,         ALBA,  fine  white 
RUBRA,  fine  red 

LADY  CAROLINA  NEVILLE,  French  white 
with  mauve  bars 

LADY  NORTHCLIFFE,  blue         

LORD  NEVILLE,  dark  plum  colour  ;  the 
stamens  are  much  lighter,  but  the 
anthers  are  dark  ;  the  flowers  are 
crinkled,  which,  added  to  the  colour, 
makes  the  plant  distinctive 

Louis  VAN  HOUTTE,  violet  purple,  a 
free  grower  and  hardy 


Time  of 
Flowering. 
July   to   Oct. 

June  to  July. 
July  to  Oct. 
July  to  Oct. 
July  to  Oct. 

July  to  Oct. 
July  to  Oct. 


July   to  Oct. 
June  to  Oct. 


307 


CLIMBERS    FOR    WALLS,    PERGOLAS    AND    TRELLIS. 


Climbers.  Time  of 

Flowering. 

MADAME  EDOUARD  ANDRE,  is  of  the 
Jackmanii  type,  but  eclipses  it  in 
colour  which  is  brilliant  crimson,  a 
colour  hitherto  unknown  amongst 
Clematis.  Very  hardy,  and  a  rapid 
grower  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  July  to  Oct. 

MARCEL  MOSER,  beautiful  mauve  vio- 
let, with  red  bar  July  to  Oct. 

MONTANA.  Although  a  small-flowered 
variety,  this  is  one  of  the  most  useful 
of  climbers,  growing  almost  anywhere. 
It  is  inclined  to  get  ragged  in  appear- 
ance if  not  trained  or  pruned  ...  May  to  June. 

M.  RUBENS,  a  red  form  of  the  above 

MRS.  GEORGE  JACKMAN,    satin    white, 

very  beautiful  ...         ...         ...     June  to    Oct. 

Miss  BATEMAN,  white,  red  anthers      ...     May  to  July. 


Time  of 

Flowering. 
July   to   Oct 


NELLY  MOSER,  pink 

PURPUREA  ELEGANS,  deep  violet  pur- 
ple,  one  of  the  best  of  its  class  ;  very 
effective  planted  in  conjunction  with 
C.  Anderson  Henryi  ...  ...  ...  July  to  Oct. 

PRINCESS  BEATRICE.  A  variety  of 
merit.  The  flowers,  6  to  8  inches 
across,  are  of  great  substance,  the 
petals  being  broad  and  overlapping 
each  other.  The  colour  of  the  flower 
is  silvery  lilac  ...  ...  ...  ...  July  to  Oct. 

SIR  GARNET  WOLSELEY,  slaty-blue     ...     May  to  June. 

VENUS  VICTRIX,  a  fine  double-flowered 
variety,  lavender-blue,  and  very  beau- 
tiful   July  to  Oct. 

WILLIAM  KENNETT,  deep  lavender      ...     June  to  Oct. 


Other  good  species  are  C.  alpina,  C.  aromatica,  C.  campaniflora,  C.  crispa,  C.  florida, 
C.  orientalis,  C.  paniculata,  C.  patens  and  C.  viticella. 

CYDONIA  JAPONICA,  the  "  Japanese  Quince,"  is  a  great  favourite  for  training  against  a 
wall,  and  has  red  flowers.  There  are  numerous  other  varieties  with  different 
coloured  blooms.  It  is  also  useful  as  a  shrub. 

ESCALLONIA.  A  popular  climber  for  seaside  gardens,  excellent  for  clothing  low  buildings 
or  walls.  The  best  are  E.  macrantha,  reddish  pink ;  E.  Philippiana,  with  white 
flowers  ;  and  E.  langleyensis,  (E.  Philippiana  x  E.  macrantha)  bright  scarlet.  E. 
exoniensis  is  a  very  beautiful  white  form. 

EUCRYPHIA  BILLARDIERI.  This  species  is  generally  treated  as  a  greenhouse  shrub,  but 
is  quite  hardy  grown  in  peat  and  sand  against  a  South  wall.  It  bears  very  showy 
white  flowers  in  great  profusion.  Other  species  are  E.  cordifolia  .and  E.  pinnatifolia. 

GARRYA  ELLIPTICA.  This,  although  usually  considered  a  shrub,  makes  a  most  excellent 
wall  plant,  its  foliage  resembling  that  of  an  evergreen  oak.  Its  specific  beauty  is 
to  be  attributed  to  the  numerous  pale  green  hazel-like  catkins  which  hang 
from  the  plant  throughout  the  Winter  months,  thus  adding  interest  to  the  walls  at 
a  time  when  most  climbers  are  dormant. 

HEDERA  (Ivy).  H.  helix,  the  Common  Ivy,  is  well  known,  and  everyone  realizes  its 
usefulness.  The  most  distinct  forms  from  the  trailing  sections  are  H.  H.  algerien'sis 
variegata,  H.  H.  atropurpurea,  H.  H.  angularis,  H.  H.  foliis  aureis,  H.  H.  canariensis, 
the  "  Irish  Ivy;  "  H.  H.  Cavendishii,  H.  H.  Crippsi,  H.  H.  maderiensis,  H.  H.  variegata, 
H.  H.  palmata  aurea,  H.  H.  rhombea,  and  a  host  of  others.  H.  H.  arborescens,  H.  H. 
foliis  argenteis  marginatis,  H.  H.  canariensis  arborescens,  H.  H.  digitata,  and  H.  H. 
Raegneriana,  are  worthy  examples  of  the  tree  section. 

HELICHRYSUM  ROSMARINIFOLIUM.  "  Snow  in  Summer."  A  beautiful  shrub  admirably 
adapted  for  training  over  a  terrace  wall,  but  it  is  also  hardy  in  the  open  border  in 
the  South  of  England. 

J  \SMINUM.  A  beautiful  genus  of  well-known  climbers,  the  most  useful  being  J.  officinale, 
the  "  Jessamine,"  with  the  variety  J.  o.  afnne.  Interesting  species  are  J.  nudiflorum, 
with  yellow  flowers,  which  open  in  the  Winter  months  ;  also  J.  humile  and  J. 
fruticans,  while  J.  primulinum,  an  introduction  from  Yunnan,  should  be  given  a  very 
sheltered  position. 

LONICERA  PERICLYMENUM,  the  "Honeysuckle"  or  "Woodbine,"  is  well  known  in  Europe 
as  a  beautiful  climber.  A  great  variety  of  forms  is  offered  by  nurserymen,  the  best 
being  L.  P.  belgica,  L.  P.  serotina  ;  also  the  nursery  forms  of  late  and  early  Dutch 
Honeysuckle  ;  L.  sempervirens,  the  "  Trumpet  Honeysuckle ; "  L.  Caprifolium,  L. 


308 


CLIMBERS    FOR    WALLS,    PERGOLAS    AND    TRELLIS. 


japonica,   and  the    varieties   L.   j.  Halliana,    L.   j.  flexuosa,    and   L.   j.   aurea-reticulata.     Climbers. 
Although  so  well  known,  they   are  not  planted  as  freely  as  they  deserve  to   be.      For 
walls  having  a   North-west  and  North-east   aspect,  and  for  planting  in  shade,  they  are 
indispensable  ;     whilst   for    bowers,  covering   trellis,    and   training  up   pillars  they   have 
few    equals,   combining    beauty   of    flower   with    the   most    delicious   scent. 
MAGNOLIA   GRANDIFLORA,  the  "  Bull  Bay,"  with   its  various   forms,    are   excellent  evergreens 
for   wall    planting  ;      while     M. 
conspicua,  the  "  Yulan,"  M.  c.  Sou- 
langeana   and    M.  Lennei    are  good 
deciduous     forms.      (111.    No.    369). 

OZOTHAMNUS      ROSMARI NIFOLIUS,      ail 

Australian      shrub      requiring      the 

protection    of    a     wall  ;      it     bears 

heads    of    white    flowers    in    dense 

corymbs   during   July ;     the    leaves 

are    small. 
POI.YGONUM   BALDSCHUANICUM,  a    rapid 

grower     with     panicles     of     pinky- 
white    flowers. 
SOPHORA  VICIFOLIA,  a  most   useful  wall 

plant. 
TRACHELOSPERMUM    CROCOSTOMUM   is   a 

beautiful  climber  with   pale   yellow 

flowers,     which     are     very    sweet- 
scented.     It  is  most  suitable  for   a 

wall  in   a   sheltered   position. 
TROP^OLUM  SPECIOSUM  (Flame  Flower). 

The  scarlet-flowered  climber  which 

makes    such    a    splendid    sheet    of 

colour  in  front   of   many  Westmor- 
land   cottages.       It    succeeds    best 

with    an   East    or  West    aspect. 
VITIS     INCONSTANS      (syn.     Ampelopsis 

Veitchii).       One    of     the     most 

beautiful     of      climbers,     charming 

alike  in  Spring-time,  when  bursting 

into     leaf,     and     gorgeous    in     the 

Autumn      when     the      leaves     are 

touched    by    the    first    slight   frost. 

This    climber    does    not    like    new 

cement  work  ;    it  is,  however,  very 

easy    to  rear,  and  once   established 

grows   at    a   remarkable   speed,   re- 
quiring  no   nailing,  and   flourishing 

FIG.    369. — MAGNOLIA    CONSPICUA    SOULANGIANA. 

in    almost   any    atmosphere. 

Another  variety  is  V.  purpurea,  a  seedling  of  great  merit,  which  has  purple 
leaves.  Other  good  and  interesting  climbers  in  this  genus  are  V.  Cognetiae,  with 
large  leaves  ;  V.  quinquefolia,  the  "  Virginia  Creeper  ;  "  V.  vinifera,  the  "  Grape  Vine  ;  " 
V.  v.  purpurea,  with  purple  leaves  ;  V.  Romaneti,  V.  Thunbergii,  and  many  others. 
V.  Henryana  is  a  new  variety  with  beautiful  mottled  leaves,  but  not  yet  proved 
hardy  in  the  Northern  counties. 


309 


CLIMBERS    FOR    WALLS,    PERGOLAS    AND    TRELLIS. 

WISTARIA.    A  beautiful  climber  which  covers  very  quickly.     The  forms  are  W.  chinensis,  W. 
japonica,  W.  frutescens,  and  W.  multijuga,  with  racemes  of  flowers  eighteen  inches  long. 

HARDY    ROSES    FOR    WALLS,    PILLARS,    AND    BOWERS. 

Roses,  The    great    beauty   of    many   of   the   new  hybrid  perpetual  roses,    and   the   desirability 

of  finding  a  place  for  them,  is  fully  acknowledged,  but  1  do  not  think  they  should 
occupy  the  entire  area  available  to  the  exclusion  of  many  varieties  which  helped  to 
make,  and  which  still  make,  some  of  the  older  gardens  so  delightful.  The  fine  old 
Scotch  climbing  roses,  so  wayward  in  their  growth,  but  covered  with  clusters  of 
fragrant  flowers,  the  Banksian  and  Boursaults,  the  old  Provence  and  cabbage  roses, 
notwithstanding  all  the  recent  improvements,  might  still  be  planted  with  great 

advantage  in  our  gar- 
dens. Roses  have,  to 
the  garden  designer, 
other  qualities  than 
mere  size,  and  for 
this  reason  he  is 
much  more  interested 
in  the  good  work 
done  by  rose-growers 
in  the  raising  of  the 
many  magnificent 
varieties  of  hardy  tea 
roses,  than  in  some 
of  the  later  additions 
to  hybrid  perpetuals. 
The  varieties  of  single 
roses  and  briars  are 
now  very  numerous, 
but  unfortunately  the 
flowering  season  is  a 
very  short  one.  It 

is  only  necessary  to  mention  Paul's  Carmine  Pillar  and  Lord  Penzance's  Sweet 
Briars  to  realize  how  much  our  gardens  have  been  enriched  by  the  indefatigable 
industry  of  rose  enthusiasts  ;  and  we  are  equally  indebted  to  them  for  the 
re-discovery  of  old  favourites  and  the  importation  of  many  varieties,  such  as  the 
Crimson  Rambler  and  the  finer  forms  of  Wichuraiana. 


FIG.    370. — CLIMBER    COVERED   TERRACE    WALLS. 


AYRSHIRE  ROSES  including  Bennett's  Seedling,  pure 
white  and  strong  ;  Dundee  Rambler,  white  tinged 
pink  ;  Felicit6  Perpetue,  creamy  white,  very  dou- 
ble in  clusters,  an  evergreen  variety  ;  Queen  of  the 
Belgians,  white  ;  Splendens  or  Myrrh-scented, 
flesh  colour. 

BOURSAULT.  There  are  a  number  of  varieties  of  Bour- 
sault  roses,  but  the  best  for  general  planting  are 
Amadis,  a  large  crimson-flowered  variety  ;  Elegans, 
crimson,  purple  and  white  stripes  ;  and  Inermis 
a  bright  red. 

BANKSIAN  FORTUNEI,    white    and    sweet.     There    are 


also  the  common  white  and  yellow  varieties,  both 
of  which  are  beautifully  scented. 

CLIMBING  DEVONIENSIS,  creamy  white,  very  large  and 
full. 

GLOIRE  DE  DIJON,  yellow,  tinted  with  salmon,  a  very 
fine  rose — the  rose  of  roses,  without  question  the 
finest  and  most  useful  climbing  rose  in  cultivation. 

MACARTNEY,  an  extremely  pretty  single  white  rose 
which  may  be  trained  over  walls,  fences,  pergo- 
las, trellis,  or  almost  anywhere  where  freedom  of 
growth  is  required. 

MULTIFLORA,  pale  flesh. 


MOSCHATA,  the  "  Musk  Rose  "  (syn.  Brunonii).  As  the  name  implies,  these  are  fragrant. 
The  following  are  good,  viz.  :  Fringed,  which  is  a  pink  colour  with  cup-shaped 
serrated  petals ;  Princess  de  Nassau,  with  yellow  cup-shaped  flowers ;  and  Rivers, 
which  has  cream-coloured  flowers. 


310 


CLIMBERS    FOR    WALLS,    PERGOLAS    AND    TRELLIS. 

NOISETTE  ROSES.     Most    of  the  roses   in    this   class   bloom   in  clusters,  they  are  the    finest     Roses. 
of  roses  for  South  and  West  walls.     For  planting  against  terrace  walls  there   are   very 
few  climbers  to  equal  them.     Most  of  them  bear  large  and  handsome  flowers,  are  highly 
fragrant,    and  of  vigorous  climbing  habit.      A  few  of  the  best   are  :•- 

AIMEE  VIBERT,  white  and  continuous.  KEVE  D'OR,  deep  yellow,  sometimes  coppery. 

BOUQUET  D'OR,  deep  yellow,  shaded  copper.  SOLFA,  sulphur,  large  and  very  double. 

CELINE  FORESTIER,  lemon,  good  free  bloomer.  TRIOMPHE  DE  RENNES,    deep   lemon,    large,    full   and 
CLOTH  OF  GOLD,  yellow,  large  and  very  splendid.  fine. 

COQUETTE  DES  BLANCHES,  pure  white,  very  fine.  WILLIAM  ALLEN  RICHARDSON  is  one  of  the  best  known 
JAUNE  DESPREZ,  pale  lemon.  popular    roses    in    cultivation.      This    variety    is, 

LAMARQUE,  creamy  white.  owing  to  its  beautiful  foliage  and  profusion  of  rich 

MADAME  ALFRED  CARRIERE,  large  white  fragrant  flow-  orange-coloured  flowers,  worthy  of  a  position  on 

ers  ;  a  fine  pillar  rose.  every  rose  wall. 

CRIMSON  RAMBLER  (Polyantha  Rose).  This  variety  is  invaluable  to  the  garden  designer 
for  clothing  a  low  trellis  or  pergola  quickly,  or  for  breaking  up  plantations  of 
evergreens  with  pillars  of  brilliant  colour.  Other  fine  varieties  are  :— 

EUPHROSYNE,  pink.  ELECTRA,  yellow. 

BLUSH  RAMBLER,  pink.  RUBIN,  crimson. 

LEUCHTSTERN,  white  and  pink.  TAUSENDSCHON,  pink. 

THALIA,  white.  FLOWER  OF  FAIRFIELD,  crimson. 

PSYCHE,  pink.  TRIER,  white. 

WALTHAM  RAMBLER,  white  and  pink.  THE  GARLAND,  white. 

SINGLE  CLIMBING  AND  PILLAR  ROSES  AND  BRIARS.  A  most  interesting  and  useful  class 
of  roses,  which  latterly  has  been  overlooked ;  some  of  the  varieties  are  charming 
for  training  up  pillars.  The  following  are  the  most  distinct  : — -Rosa  alpina,  the 
parent  of  the  Boursaults,  is  a  strong  grower,  flowering  very  early  in  the  Spring  ; 
colour  rosy  red.  Rosa  gigantea  (Indian  rose),  an  almost  continuous  bloomer  ; 
several  varieties  are  obtainable,  but  the  pink  and  crimson  forms  are  the  best. 

AUSTRIAN  BRIARS  (Copper  and  Yellow).  For  planting  along  a  low  trellis  or  short  pillars, 
these  give,  when  in  flower,  an  effect  unlike  any  other  rose.  The  colour  alone  is 
sufficient  to  attract  attention  ;  to  this  is  added  a  flower  of  perfect  shape,  borne  in 
such  profusion  as  to  make  one  mass  of  colour.  Both  varieties  are  perfectly  hardy, 
and  have  the  fragrance  of  the  common  sweet  briar.  These  roses  flower  on  the 
shoots  of  the  preceding  year's  growth. 

PAUL'S  'CARMINE  PILLAR  AND  SINGLE  WHITE,  are  useful  for  planting  against  walls  or 
trellis,  or  for  forming  rose  banks  ;  both  are  of  vigorous  growth  and  very  floriferous  ; 
Paul's  Carmine  especially  may  be  considered  as  one  of  the  most  beautiful  single 
roses  in  cultivation. 

LORD  PENZANCE'S  SWEET  BRIARS  may  be  classed  amongst  the  finest  introductions  to  our 
gardens  in  recent  years.  This  will  be  realized  when  it  is  stated  that  to  the  fragrance 
of  the  old  sweet  briar  has  been  added  beauty  of  form  and  size  and  colour  of  flower  ; 
the  blooms  being  as  large  as  those  of  Austrian  briars,  while  the  colours  range  from 
white  to  dark  crimson.  Briar  roses  will  be  found  most  useful  for  forming  masses 
of  colour  on  the  lawn  or  for  planting  rough  land  or  banks  ;  they  may  also  be  used 
for  pillars,  low  fences,  or  walls,  or  for  training  as  loose  hedges.  The  best  varieties 
are  : — Amy  Robsart,  Anne  of  Geierstein,  Brenda,  Catherine  Seyton,  Edith  Bellenden, 
Flora  Mclvor,  Jeanie  Deans,  Julia  Mannering,  Lady  Penzance,  Lord  Penzance, 
Lucy  Ashton,  Lucy  Bertram,  Meg  Merrilies,  Minna,  and  Rose  Bradwardine. 

HYBRID  TEAS  AND  PERPETUALS  FOR  CLIMBING.  This  class  is  easily  distinguished  from 
others  by  the  peculiar  and  delightful  fragrance  of  the  flowers  and  its  vigorous 
growth.  It  is  invaluable  as  supplying  the  various  shades  of  yellow  wanting 
amongst  the  hybrid  perpetuals,  and  also  because  the  many  varieties  are  so 
charming  for  covering  terrace  walls  facing  South.  A  warm  aspect  with  well 


CLIMBERS    FOR    WALLS,    PERGOLAS    AND    TRELLIS. 


Roses. 


drained     soil    suits    them    best.      The     following     are     some     of     the     best  :— 


GLOIRE  LYONNAISE,  white. 

IRISH  ELEGANCE,  single  orange  scarlet. 

,,     ENGINEER,  single  scarlet. 

„     GLORY,  single  pink. 
REINE  MARIE  HENRIETTE,  red. 
WALTHAM  CLIMBER,  red. 
CHESHUNT  HYBRID,  red. 


CLIMBING  CAPT.  CHRISTY,  pink, 

CAROLINE  TESTOUT,  pink. 
„         FRAU  KARL  DRUSCHKI,  white. 
„         JULES  MARGOTTIN,  carmine. 
,,         KAISERIN  A.  VICTORIA,  white. 
„         LA  FRANCE,  pink. 
„         MRS.  W.  J.  GRANT,  pink. 
„         PAPA  GONTIER,  red. 

WICHURIANA  ROSES,  a  Japanese  Rose  with  many  hybrids  of  which  the  best  are  Dorothy 
Perkins,  pink  ;  white  Dorothy  Perkins ;  Lady  Gay,  pink  ;  Hiawatha,  single  red 
in  clusters,  with  white  eye  ;  Paul  Transon,  pink  ;  Alberic  Barbier,  yellow  ;  Jersey 
Beauty,  single  cream  ;  Christian  Curie,  pale  pink  ;  Shower  of  Gold,  yellow. 

A    list    of    bush    roses    for    general    garden    vise    is    given    below    under    the    three 
headings    of    Teas,    Hybrid    Teas    and    Hybrid    Perpetuals. 


APRICOT  AND  COPPER. 
DR.  GRILL. 
MME.  FALCOT. 
MME.  JEAN  DUPUY. 
META. 
SAFRANO. 

SOUVENIR  DE  C.  GUILLOT. 
SUNSET. 
LADY  ROBERTS. 

PINK. 

ANNA  OLIVIER. 
BRIDESMAID. 
CATHERINE  MERMET. 
HON.  E.  GIFFORD. 


YELLOW  AND  COPPER. 

LE  PROGRES. 

GUSTAVE  REGIS. 

MME.  RAVARY. 

MME.  FERNET  DUCHER. 

BETTY. 

PEGGY. 

EDU  MEYER. 

RAYON  n'OR. 

WALTER  SPEED. 
PINK. 

MME.  ABEL  CHATENAY. 


RED. 

ALFRED  COLOMB. 
A.  K.  WILLIAMS. 
CAPT.  HAYWARD. 
CHARLES  LEFEBVRE. 
DUKE  OF  EDINBURGH. 
DUPUY  JAMAIN. 
FISHER  HOLMES. 
GENERAL  JACQUEMINOT. 
MARIE  BAUMANN. 


TEAS. 

PINK— CONTD. 

MME.  CUSIN. 

MAMAN  COCHET. 

MURIEL  GRAHAM. 

MRS.  MYLES  KENNEDY. 
WHITE. 

INNOCENTE  PIROLA. 

NIPHETOS. 

WHITE  M.  COCHET. 

THE  BRIDE. 
YELLOW. 

COMTESSE  DE  NADAILLAC. 

FRANCISCA  KRUGER. 

GLOIRE  DE  DIJON. 

HYBRID    TEAS. 

PINK— CONTD. 

LADY  ASHTOWN. 
CAROLINE  TESTOUT. 
VISCOUNTESS  FOLKESTONE. 
EARL  OF  WARWICK. 
MRS.  W.  J.  GRANT. 
WM.  SHEAN. 

KlLLARNEY. 

LA  FRANCE. 
JOSEPH  LOWE. 
PHARISAER. 
PRINCE  DE  BULGARIE. 

HYBRID    PERPETUALS. 

RED — CONTD. 

SUZANNE  MARIE  RODOCANACHI. 

ULRICH  BRUNNER. 

VICTOR  HUGO. 
PINK. 

CLIO. 

DR.  WM.  GORDON. 

ELLEN  DREW. 

FRANCOIS  MICHELON. 

HER  MAJESTY. 


YELLOW— CONTD. 

G.  NABONNAND. 

MME.  HOSTE. 

MARIE  VAN  HOUTTE. 

MEDEA. 

HARRY  KIRK. 

SOUVENIR  DE  PIERRE  NOTTING. 
RED. 

PAPA  GONTIER. 

PRINCESS  DE  SAGAN. 

MRS.  ED.  MAWLEY. 

MRS.  LAMBARD. 


WHITE. 

WHITE  KILLARNEY. 

L'lNNOCENCE. 

KAISERIN  AUGUSTA  VICTORIA. 
RED. 

MARQUIS  OF  SALISBURY. 

RICHMOND. 

LIBERTY. 

GRUSS  AN  TEPLITZ. 

C.  J.  GRAHAM. 

W.  F.  BENNETT. 

LYON  ROSE  (Coral  red). 


PINK— CONTD. 

MRS.  JOHN  LAING. 

MRS.    R.    G.    SHARMAN   CRAW- 
FORD. 
WHITE. 

BOULE  DE  NEIGE. 

FRAU  KARL  DRUSCHKI. 

MABEL  MORRISON. 

MARGARET  DICKSON. 

MERVEILLE  DE  LYON. 


To    the    above 
roses,   both   useful, 


roses    should    be    added    the     dwarf    polyantha    and    the    China 
continuous   blooming   varieties   for   bedding. 


312 


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CHAPTER     XX. 

The  garden  designer  works  for  different  ends,  and  has  different  objects  in  view  to 
the  collector,  or  the  nurseryman  distributor  of  hardy  plants.  They  collect  and  display 
the  materials  wherewith  he  composes  his  harmonies  ;  and  he,  not  disdaining  the  full  choice 
presented — as  an  artist  prefers  a  full  range  of  colours  wherewith  to  express  his  pictorial 
presentment — prefers  that  the  selective  material  be  located  in  the  reserve  garden  or 
home  nursery,  where  he  can  compare  colours  and  educate  and  protect  himself  against 
mistakes  in  planting  the  perennial  borders.  The  list  given  makes  no  pretence  of  including 
more  than  a  fractional  number  of  the  really  reliable  hardy  plants  to  be  found  in  the 
nurseryman's  excellent  lists,  but  is  the  result  of  a  long  experimental  selection,  and  a 
series  of  comparative  tests,  not  only  of  hardiness,  but  also  adaptability  to  varying  soils 
and  localities,  and  includes  only  those  which  do  not  require  special  and  difficult  culti- 
vation, and  are  suitable  for  planting  in  masses  for  colour  effect. 

To  avoid  disappointment  it  is  necessary  to  point  out  first  of  all  the  impossibility  of 
obtaining  flower  borders  which,  as  certain  rhapsodical  garden  writers  suggest,  can  be 
maintained  continuously  gay  for  about  ten  months  of  the  year.  Successive  floral 
displays  may  be  obtained  within  a  restricted  area  but  not  continuously  in  the  same 
border.  White  sheets  of  snowdrops  in  February  under  the  apple  trees,  carpets  of  lovely 
crocus  on  the  lawns  in  March,  and  waving  banks  of  daffodils  in  the  coppice  in  April, 
are  each  in  their  places  delightful,  but  the  intervening  patches  of  bare  brown  earth 
amidst  the  colonies  of  bloom  in  the  border  are  inevitable,  unless  great  expense  and  time 
are  lavished  upon  them.  But  notwithstanding  whatever  has  been  said  in  praise  of  the 
grand  style,  which  must  have  display  both  in  season  and  out  of  season,  the  underlying 
purpose  of  this  work  is  the  encouragement  of  those  garden  lovers,  who  desire  to  see 
their  gardens  grow  and  develop  under  their  hands  in  homely  beaut}?,  and  who,  without 
burdening  themselves  and  converting  a  pleasure  into  a  task,  look  to  them  for  relaxation 
and  recuperation. 

Such  garden  lovers  as  desire  the  unstudied  grace  of  homely  beauty  and  are  content 
with  that  which  is  beautiful  in  its  season,  will  not  mind  broad  intervening  masses  of 
foliage  or  even  patches  of  soil  amidst  the  large  clumps  of  flower ;  there  is  always  the 
pleasant  retrospect  and  forecast  of  what  has  been,  or  is  to  be,  in  seed  or  bud.  If  it 
is  imperative  that  there  should  be  no  bare  interspaces,  then  the  showy  though  fleeting 
annuals  may  be  called  upon  as  reserves,  or  biennials  such  as  Antirrhinums,  Pentstemons 
or  Canterbury  Bells,  may  give  a  more  lasting  result  ;  but  annuals,  if  duly  thinned  out 
and  given  sufficient  room  to  flower  and  flourish,  fulfil  the  purpose.  Some  of  these 


Successive 

floral 

displays. 


315 


HARDY    FLOWERING    PERENNIALS    FOR    BEDS,    BORDERS,    &c. 

such  as  the  rose   mallow   so   effective  in   town    gardens,    and   the   annual   chrysanthemums 
and  larkspurs,   might  without  hesitation  be  found  places  in   every  herbaceous   border. 

The  border  which  is  gay  in  April  or  May  with  daffodils,  tulips,  polyanthus,  and 
Brompton  stocks,  iberis  and  aubretias,  may  be  brightly  hued  again  in  July  and  early 
August  with  phlox,  hollyhocks,  speedwells,  delphiniums,  and  the  hosts  of  other  plants 
in  flower  at  this  season  ;  whilst  the  gardener  who  looked  ahead  would  also  ensure  fine 
colour  effects  in  October  and  November  from  chrysanthemums,  Michaelmas  daisies  and 
pyrethrums,  provided  always  that  the  borders  are  ample  and  spacious. 

All  the  perennials  enumerated  might  be  planted  at  any  time  from  March  to  Septem- 
ber, provided  they  are  obtained  from  the  nurseries  in  pots  ;  or  they  may  be  planted 
direct  from  the  open  ground  from  March  to  the  middle  of  May,  and  at  any  time  during 
September. 

No  list   of    hardy   perennials    would    be   complete    without   a    selection    from   the  large 
families    of    bulbous    plants    which   make   gay    our   gardens   in    Spring    and  early   Summer. 
I  have  therefore  enumerated  the  most  effective  daffodils,  wood  hyacinths,  and  anemones. 
Hardy  ACANTHUS    MOLLIS.      A   plant    with   fine,    much   serrated    foliage,    and    flower   spikes    which 

Perennials.  often   attain   a  height   of  3   to   4  feet.       An   excellent   plant   for  the  wild  garden. 

ACHILLEA,  Snowball.  A  fine  border  plant,  bearing  numerous  heads  of  pure  white  flowers, 
useful  for  cutting ;  height  2  feet.  A.  Clavennse  and  A.  tomentosa  are  dwarf  vari- 
eties useful  for  walls  or  the  rock  garden. 

ACONITUM,    or  Monks   Hood.      An  old-fashioned,  strong-growing  perennial.      The  finest   are 
A.    napellus  ;     A.    album  ;     A.    versicolor,    blue     and    white  ;     and    A.     autumnale,    a 
fine   purple,    flowers   late   into   September  ;    it  grows   3   to    4   feet   high. 
ADONIS    VERNALIS.      This  variety   bears  large  bright   yellow   buttercup-like   flowers  early  in 

Spring  ;    it   has   finely  cut   leaves,    height    i    foot. 

ALPINE  PHLOX.  A  beautiful  class  of  dwarf  easily  grown  plants,  suitable  for  growing 
over  rocks.  To  ensure  success,  plant  in  a  good  open  soil.  Amongst  the  best  are  P. 
Vivid,  fine  bright  pink  ;  P.  Nelsoni,  good  clear  white  ;  P.  atropurpurea,  a  rich 
crimson,  flowering  in  the  early  Spring  ;  P.  The  Bride,  white,  and  P.  G.  F.  Wilson, 
a  pretty  lilac. 

ALSTROMERIA.  A  splendid  class  of  plants  for  border  decoration.  A.  revoluta  is  a  good 
orange  colour,  and  A.  aurea,  pale  yellow  ;  both  are  very  useful  for  cutting  and  make 
a  fine  show  for  bed  or  border. 

ALYSSUM.  The  most  useful  for  rockwork  are  A.  alpestre,  A.  montanum,  A.  saxatile  com- 
pactum,  A.  saxatile  plenum,  a  double  variety,  and  A.  citrinum  ;  they  are  all  dwarf- 
growing  varieties  with  bright  yellow-coloured  flowers,  and  all  do  well  on  walls  or  in 
a  dry  sunny  position. 

ANEMONE,  the  wind  flower,  provides  a  large  and  charming  class  of  plants  of  easy 
culture.  The  following  should  have  a  place  in  the  garden  : — Anemone  apennina, 
deep  blue,  and  of  dwarf  and  very  free  habit  ;  A.  blanda,  a  fine  deep  blue  ;  A. 
nemorosa  Robinsoniana,  a  pretty  pale  blue  ;  A.  ranunculoides,  a  bright  yellow, 
makes  a  fine  contrast  when  seen  growing  amongst  the  blues,  and  has  finely-cut 
foliage  ;  A.  nemorosa  alba  plena,  the  double  white  wood  Anemone,  one  of  the 
finest  and  a  free  bloomer  ;  A.  fulgens,  the  scarlet  wind  flower,  bears  pretty  scarlet 
flowers  about  an  inch  and  a  half  across,  it  is  of  easy  growth  and  most  effective, 
and  grows  about  fifteen  inches  high  ;  A.  japonica  alba,  a  well  known  border 
plant,  growing  3  feet  high,  with  numerous  fine  white  flowers,  it  should  be  in  every 
garden  ;  A.  japonica,  has  growth  and  habit  similar  to  the  above,  but  with  rose-coloured 
flowers. 

ANTHEMIS  BIEBERSTEINI,  a  very  useful  plant  for  walls,  being  a  strong  grower,  and  forming- 
good  tufts  of  silvery  foliage. 

316 


HARDY    FLOWERING    PERENNIALS    FOR    BEDS,    BORDERS,    &c. 


ANTHERICUM  LILIAGO,  or  St.   Bernard's  Lily,  a  good  border  plant  of  easy  culture,  bearing     Hardy 

fine  spikes  of  pure  white    flowers  ;    about   2   feet   high.     A.   liliastrum  major  is  also  a    perennials. 
fine  border  plant  with  white  flowers  ;    both  bloom  during  May  and  June. 

ANTHYLLIS  ATRORUBENS.  A  fine  and  most  useful  plant  for  a  dry  bank  ;  it  bears  heads 
of  dark  crimson  flowers  somewhat  resembling  a  large  clover. 

AQUILEGIA.  A  useful  class  of  plants,  better  known  as  columbines.  They  vary  in  colour 
and  include  whites,  yellows,  blues  and  purples.  Amongst  the  best  and  most  useful 
are  A.  chrysantha,  yellow ;  A.  vulgaris  alba,  white  ;  A.  glandulosa,  a  fine  blue- and  - 
white.  These  varieties  are  perfectly  hardy,  and  do  well  in  almost  any  position  ; 
height  2  feet. 

ARMERIA  PLANTAGINEA  ROSEA,  Sea  Pink,  is  a  very  effective  plant  of  dwarf  habit,  with 
fine  heads  of  rose-coloured  flowers  ;  it  grows  12  inches  high,  and  blooms  from  May  to 
the  end  of  July.  A.  p.  alba  is  a  white-flowered  variety.  A.  cephalotes  grandiflora, 
bears  large  deep  red  heads  of  flowers  : 


height   2   feet. 
ASPHODELUS    RAMOSUS    bears    a    fine    bold 

spike    of   white    flowers  ;     it    thrives   in 

almost    any    kind    of    soil,    and    should 

be   in   every   border  ;    height    2   feet. 
ASTER   OR   MICHAELMAS  DAISY.      These  are 

indispensable  as  they  continue  to  bloom 

until     the    frost     comes    and    blackens 

them.      There    are   a   large    number   of 

varieties    of    which    the    best    are  :     A. 

acris,  3 — -4  ft.,  pale  blue  and  early  ;    A. 

cordifolius   elegans,    2   ft.,    small  flower, 

blue  ;     A.  Elsie  Perry,  pink,  3  ft.  ;     A. 

ericoides,  small  white  flower,  3   ft.  ;    A. 

Hon.    E.    Gibbs,  small  lavender  flower, 

3  ft.  ;    A.  Lady  Trevelyan,  white,   4 — 5 

ft.  ;     A.   Mrs.    Burrows,    mauve,    4    ft.  ; 

A.  Novi-Belgii  R.  Parker,  large  lavender, 

4—5  ft.,  one  of  the  best ;    A.  W.  Mar- 
shall,   blue,    4   ft.  ;     A.    Miss    Southall, 

mauve,  4  ft.  ;     A.   Beauty  of   Colwall, 

lilac   blue,   double,    4  ft.  ;    A.   Lil   Far- 
dell,   pink,   4  ft. 
ASTILBE,   see   SPIR^A. 
AUBRETIA.    There  are   many  varieties,  from 

which  may    be   selected    A.    Leichtlini,    a   fine    clear   rose  ;     A.    purpurea  ;     A.    Firefly, 

deep  red  ;    A.   Monthemi,  large  pale  rose  ;    and  Dr.  Mules,  rich  purple.      All   do  well 

on   a  dry  bank   in   ordinary   soil.      For  rockwork    or    planting    on    rough   dwarf    walls 

in   conjunction   with   Alyssums    and   White   Rock,    they   are   lovely. 
BOCCONIA   CORDATA.       An   effective   foliage   plant   of    strong    growth,    bearing   buff-coloured 

spikes  of  flowers.       Requires  ample  space,  and  is  admirable  for  massing  near  water  ; 

height   5   to   6   feet. 
CAMPANULA,  of  which  there  are  many  varieties  most  serviceable  as  border  and  wall  plants  ; 

the    best    are   C.    persicifolia    alba    grandiflora    and    P.    humosa    with   semi-double   blue 

flowers  ;    C.  glomerata  dahurica,  is  purple  and  grows  18  inches  high.       These  varieties 

flower  about  July,  lasting  to  the  latter  part  of   August.       C.  macrantha  has  a  good 

effect  when  planted  in  woods,  etc.,  throwing  up  its  tall  spikes  of  blue  flowers,  reaching 


FIG.    372. — DELPHINIUMS. 


317 


HARDY    FLOWERING    PERENNIALS    FOR    BEDS,    BORDERS,    &c. 

Hardy  a  height  of  five  feet,  it  is  of  very  easy  growth  and  succeeds  almost  everywhere. 

perennials.  C.  marginata,  a  large  white  margined  with  blue,  and  Moerheimi,  a  semi-double  white 

are  also  excellent.  Amongst  the  dwarf  Campanulas  the  following  are  all  good  free 
growers  : — C.  G.  F.  Wilson,  a  fine  shade  of  purple,  and  a  very  free  bloomer  ;  C. 
carpatica  alba,  white  ;  C.  turbinata,  light  blue  ;  and  C.  t.  White  Star  ;  C.  bavarica, 
blue,  an  exceptionally  free  grower  ;  and  C.  pusilla  and  C.  p.  alba,  C.  pulla,  deep 
purple,  C.  pulloides  and  C.  Hostii  alba,  white,  should  also  find  a  place. 

CENTAUREA,  or  Knapweed.  Amongst  the  finest  c  f  perennials  is  C.  montana  rubra,  with 
numerous  large  feathery  rose-coloured  flowers,  2  feet  high  ;  C.  ruthenica,  a  pale 
yellow  variety  with  fine  foliage,  and  C.  macrocephala,  a  fine  plant  growing  to  a 
height  of  5  feet,  with  large  handsome  bright  yellow  flowers  ;  it  is  of  rather  coarse 
growth,  but  looks  well  at  the  back  of  a  border,  where  it  can  have  plenty  of  room. 
These  varieties  are  particularly  useful  for  cutting  for  house  and  table  decoration. 

CHEIRANTHUS  ALPINUS,  or  Alpine  Wallflower,  is  an  exceedingly  pretty  plant,  bearing  a 
profusion  of  bright  yellow  flowers  in  May  and  June  ;  height  6  inches. 

CHRYSANTHEMUM  MAXIMUM.  C.  Duchess  of  Abercorn,  C.  Queen  Alexandra  and  C.  im- 
bricatum  are  all  showy,  large-flowering  varieties  of  the  common  field  daisy. 

CIMICIFUGA  RACEMOSA  has  foliage  resembling  the  Spiraeas  and  bears  feathery  spikes  of 
white  flowers  ;  height  3  feet. 

CISTUS,  Rock  Rose,  is  effective  when  planted  on  dry  banks  or  rockeries.  There  are 
several  free-flowering  varieties  of  various  shades  of  colour.  A  few  of  the  best  are 
C.  florentinus,  a  large  white-flowering  variety,  very  free  ;  C.  algarvensis,  a  small-leaved 
variety  with  bright  yellow  flowers  and  a  dark  ring  round  the  centre  of  the  flower, 
and  C.  formosus,  yellow. 

COREOPSIS  GRANDIFLORA.  A  splendid  border  plant  with  numerous  large  yellow  flowers, 
very  useful  for  cutting  purposes.  It  is  certainly  the  best  variety  in  cultivation. 
It  is  of  very  free  habit  and  blooms  all  the  summer  ;  height  2\  feet. 

CRAMBE  CORDIFOLIA,  a  handsome  plant  bearing  large  spikes  of  white  flowers  in  the  same 
manner  as  Gypsophila.  It  should  be  planted  in  masses  and  given  plenty  of  space, 
as  it  grows  6  feet  high. 

DELPHINIUM,  or  perennial  larkspur,  of  which  there  are  many  varieties  of  all  shades  of 
white,  blue  and  purple,  make  a  splendid  display  and  need  very  little  attention, 
remaining  in  flower  for  about  two  months  ;  height  3  to  6  feet.  No  border  of  hardy 
perennials  can  be  complete  without  them. 

DIANTHUS,  the  pink.  A  large  family,  very  useful  for  walls  and  rock  gardens  ;  a  few  of 
the  best  are  D.  alpinus,  with  large  deep  rose-coloured  flowers  ;  D.  neglectus,  a 
deep  rose  ;  D.  integer,  pure  white  deeply  fringed,  and  several  other  varieties  too 
numerous  to  mention.  D.  barbatus  is  the  Sweet  William. 

DICTAMNUS  FRAXINELLA.  A  well-known  plant  that  should  have  a  place  in  every  border  ; 
it  bears  spikes  of  flowers  of  a  pale  rosy  pink  with  rather  a  curious  scent  ;  is  of 
free  habit  and  likes  good  rich  soil.  3  feet. 

DORONICUM  EXCELSUM,  or  Leopard's  Bane,  is  a  plant  too  well  known  to  need  much 
description,  colour  bright  yellow,  and  flowers  in  early  Spring  and  far  into  the  Summer. 
It  should  be  in  every  garden  ;  height  2\  to  3  feet. 

EPIMEDIUM  PINNATUM,  is  a  very  excellent  dwarf  yellow-flowering  plant,  the  foliage  of  which 
is  also  very  pretty  and  useful  for  cutting  ;  it  will  grow  in  shade,  flowering  about  May. 

ERIGERON  SPECIOSUS  SUPERBUS  and  E.  s.  GRANDIFLORUS,  bear  clusters  of  large  mauve  flowers 
from  June  to  September  ;  height  from  2  to  3  feet.  An  excellent  border  plant. 

ERYNGIUM  ALPINUM,  or  Sea  Holly,  is  a  well-known  plant,  and  one  which  should  be  in- 
cluded in  'every  collection  ;  it  is  a  strong  grower,  succeeding  in  any  good  garden  soil, 
and  flowering  from  June  to  September  ;  height  3  feet. 


HARDY    FLOWERING    PERENNIALS    FOR    BEDS,    BORDERS,    &c. 

FUNKIA,   of    which   there   are   many   varieties,   make   fine   foliage   plants  ;  two    of   the    best    Hardy 

are    F.    Fortunei   ccerulea    and    F.    undulata    marginata,    the    former    being    of    a    fine    perennials. 

glaucous  colour,  and  the  latter  beautifully  margined  with   white.       These  will  succeed 

in    partial    shade. 
GALEGA    OFFICINALIS    ALBA,    or    Goat's    Rue,    an    excellent    plant    for    the   border,   bearing 

beautiful    white    pea-shaped    flowers,    which   last    well   when   cut.       It    is    about    4    to 

5    feet    in   height,    and   does   well   in   any   soil. 

GEUM   COCCINEUM  PLENUM,   and  G.   HELDRIECHII  are  fine  border  plants  with  rich   orange- 
scarlet    flowers  ;    2     feet     in 

height  :      one    of     the    most 

effective  plants   for  the  her- 
baceous border. 
GILLENIA     TRIFOLIATA,     a     very 

graceful    and     pretty     plant 

bearing  slender  white  flowers; 

it    is  useful  for  moist  situa- 
tions, and  should  be  planted 

in   large  patches. 
GYPSOPHILA  PANICULATA,  although 

generally   grown,  for  cutting, 

is    a    white    mist-like    flower 

very    useful    when    used    in 

contrast  with  strong  colours  ; 

height    ij   feet. 
HELENIUM.       This    genus     bears 

masses    of    beautiful     bright 

yellow    flowers,    which     last 

well  when  cut.     Amongst  the  most  useful  varieties  are  H.  pumilum,  about  2  feet  high  ; 

H.  grandiflorum,   3    to   4   feet ;  and  H.  autumnale,   which  flowers  more  in  clusters   and 

lasts    late    into    Autumn,   about    6   to   7   feet   in   height. 
HELIANTHEMUM,  or  Rock  Rose.       No  rock  or  wall  garden  is  complete  without  a  selection 

of    these    plants,    they    are    perfectly    hardy,    and    make    a    fine    show.     They    vary    in 

colour    from    white   to    deep    red.       The   following    are   good  :  H.    venustum,  fine   red ; 

H.    tomentosum,    yellow  ;     H.    The   Pearl,  white  ;     H.   Mrs.  Sydney  Smith,  terra-cotta ; 

H.   Mrs.    Earle,   double   red  ;    H.  roseum,    pink.       They  thrive   well  in   a   dry   position 

in   ordinary  soil. 
HELIANTHUS,  make  a  fine  show  towards  Autumn,   when  flowers   are   getting   scarce.       The 

most    distinguished   of    the    several    kinds    are    H.    doronicoides,    a    very    free-flowering 

single,    and     H.     Soleil    d'Or,    a    double    variety,    with    fine    quilled    flowers.      H.  Miss 

Hellish  is  a  fine  form.      These  are  very  strong-growing  plants  and   should    be   planted 

sparingly    to    avoid    overcrowding    more    delicate    subjects. 
HELLEBORUS,   or   Christmas    Rose.       There   are   a  great  many  varieties  of  this  genus,  but 

H.  niger  major  is  one  of  the  freest   flowering  sorts,   bearing  fine  pure  white  blossoms. 

It  is  very  useful  for  cutting  purposes,   and  does  well  in  a  rather  shady  position. 
HEMEROCALLIS,    or   Day   Lily.       There   are  several  varieties  of  this  genus.       The  showiest 

are  H.   disticha   plena,  flowers  a  deep   orange,   and   fine   border  plant ;    H.    Thunbergi, 

pale  yellow  blooms  ;    and  H.  flava,  with  lemon-coloured  flowers,   bell-shaped  and   very 

numerous. 

HEUCHERA  SANGUINEA  bears  numerous  slender  spikes  of  pretty  scarlet  flowers,  which  when 
cut  are  very  useful  for  decorative  purposes,  looking  exceptionally  well  by  artificial 
light.  It  is  of  easy  growth  ;  height  2^  feet.  H.  s.  grandiflora  is  a  stronger  grower. 


FIG.    373. — GIANT    PARSNIP    UNDER    TREES.       (See   UCXt   page}. 


319 


HARDY    FLOWERING    PERENNIALS    FOR    BEDS,    BORDERS,    &c. 

Hardy  HERACLEUM  GIGANTEUM,  or  the  Giant  Parsnip,  is  a  valuable  perennial  for  planting  on 

perennials.  the  outskirts  of  the  wild  garden,  or  under  the  drip  of  trees,  as  in  illustration 

No.  373.  It  is  best  raised  from  seed  sown  in  March. 

HOLLYHOCK.  No  garden  can  be  said  to  be  complete  without  Hollyhocks  ;  they  are 
indeed  indispensable,  showing  to  great  advantage  in  almost  any  position,  though  best 
with  a  background  of  wall  or  hedge.  They  should  be  found  in  every  border, 
especially  those  on  the  terrace.  Single  varieties  are  as  effective  as  the  choicer  and 
more  expensive  double  ones. 

IBERIS,  or  Perennial  Candytuft.  C.  Corresefolia  is  one  of  the  finest.  It  has  fine  large 
pure  white  flowers,  and  comes  into  bloom  when  the  commoner  varieties  are  over. 
This  is  an  excellent  plant  for  growing  in  the  rock  garden  or  on  the  tops  of  walls. 

INULA  GLANDULOSA,  a  useful  plant,  2  to  2\  feet  in  height ;  bears  fine  yellow  flowers  in  June 
and  July. 

IRIS.  Almost  everyone  who  has  seen  a  swamp  knows  the  broad,  succulent  green  blades 
of  the  flag,  or  yellow-flowered  iris,  and  the  tall  stem  or  sheath  from  which  they 
spring.  The  Iris  Kaempferi,  the  sacred  flower  of  Japan,  can  be  similarly  recognized, 
but  the  flowers  are  of  various  shades  of  white,  azure  and  dark  blue,  and  dark  blue 
and  blue  purple,  attaining  under  good  cultivation  a  diameter  of  from  6  to  12  inches. 
If  allowed  a  fair  quantity  of  bog  earth  or  fatty  loam,  to  retain  moisture,  they 
succeed  well  in  the  border ;  they  are  also  amongst  the  most  valuable  plants  for 
the  margins  of  ornamental  waters.  I.  sibirica  is  another  effective  plant  for  moist 
places,  having  grass-like  foliage  and  numerous  pale  blue  flowers  streaked  with  white. 
The  well-known  flag  Iris,  I.  germanica,  is  another  section,  which  may  be  planted 
in  almost  any  soil  or  situation.  All  the  colours  found  amongst  other  Iris  are  to 
be  found  in  this  class.  In  the  Autumn,  batches  of  Spanish  and  English  Iris,  both 
of  which  are  equally  beautiful,  should  be  planted  in  masses  for  flowering  the 
following  June. 

LAVENDER.       See    Flowering    Shrubs. 

LEUCOJUM  VERNUM  (Spring  Snowflake),  has  pretty  white  flowers  dotted  with  green, 
resembling  snowdrops.  L.  aestivum  is  similar  to  L.  vernum,  but  taller  in  habit.  In 
foliage  and  flower  these  varieties  are  effective  throughout  the  Summer  months  ; 
height  18  inches. 

LILIUM.  There  are  many  varieties  of  lilies  which  are  well  worth  growing,  and  which 
make  a  fine  show  in  the  border.  The  following  are  all  good  :  L.  candidum,  the 
old  garden  or  Madonna  Lily,  which  has  pure  white  flowers,  should  find  a  place 
in  every  border  where  the  soil  is  moderately  light.  L.  croceum,  or  Orange  Lily, 
is  a  fine  old  lily,  bearing  six  to  eight  orange-coloured  flowers  in  clusters,  on  stems 
varying  from  4  to  5  feet  in  height.  L.  chalcedonicum,  Turk's  Cap,  has  rich  scarlet 
flowers  in  clusters  of  four  to  six  on  one  stem  ;  it  is  of  easy  culture,  and  is  one  of 
the  finest  varieties.  There  are  very  few  hardy  flowers  which  are  so  effective.  L. 
Humboldti  is  a  tall-growing  variety,  bearing  numerous  flowers  of  a  pretty  golden 
yellow  with  dark  spots,  and  is  of  easy  culture.  L.  tigrinum  splendens,  the  Tiger 
Lily,  is  one  of  the  most  useful  for  borders,  a  free  flowerer,  the  colour  being  orange 
scarlet  with  numerous  black  spots.  L.  Martagon  has  dark  purple  flowers,  borne  on 
stems  4  to  5  feet  in  height,  and  is  of  good  habit.  L.  M.  album,  a  very  fine  white 
variety  of  the  preceding,  of  handsome  appearance,  should  be  in  every  border.  L. 
testaceum  is  a  tall-growing  variety  with  clusters  of  salmon-yellow  coloured  flowers, 
very  pretty,  and  easy  to  cultivate.  L.  pardalinum  and  L.  speciosum  should  also 
be  grown. 

LITHOSPERMUM  PROSTRATUM,  for  rockwork,  is  as  fine  a  plant  as  could  be  wished  for.  In 
colour  it  rivals  the  beautiful  Gentiana  verna,  but  is  easier  to  grow,  and  thrives  best 

320 


HARDY    FLOWERING    PERENNIALS    FOR    BEDS,    BORDERS,    &c. 


in  a  sunny  position  ;    grown  in  a  good  sand  loam  mixed   with   a   little   sandstone,    if     Hardy 

procurable.  perennials. 

LUPINUS,    Lupine.       The  white  and   blue  varieties  make  a   fine  show,  growing  to  a  height 

of  about   3  feet  ;    all  are  very  free-flowering. 
LYCHNIS.      Amongst   this  class  of  plants  I  should  recommend  L.  chalcedonica,  which  bears 

handsome   scarlet   flowers  from   July   to   the  beginning   of    September ;     height   3   feet ; 

and    L.    viscaria   splendens  plena,   a   dwarf   variety,   very   profuse   flowering,   of   a  rosy 

pink,    flowering   in   the   months  of  June   and   July. 
LYTHRUM   ROSEUM,  a  fine  showy  plant,  very   free  in   habit ;    the    flower    spikes    are   of   a 

deep  rose,  and  often  attain  to  a  height  of  4  to  5  feet.     It  is  also  a  very  useful  plant 

for  marshy  ground,   or  by  the  margins  of  lakes  or  streams. 
MALVA    MOSCHATA     ALBA.        An 

effective    border    plant    with 

clusters      of      pretty      white 

flowers.       It     will     grow     in 

almost   any   soil  ;     height  2\ 

to   3   feet. 
MERTENSIA    SIBIRICA,     a    pretty 

border  plant  with  lovely  pale 

blue  pendant  flowers  ;  height 

1 1  feet. 

MONARDA   DIDYMA,    or   BERGAMOT, 

a   showy  plant,    with   bright 

red    flowers,    growing    about 

2|-     feet     high  ;     blooms    in 

the  latter  part  of  July,  and 

lasts  almost    to    the   end    of 

September. 
MONTBRETIA.    A  most  useful  class 

of    plants    with    ornamental 

grass-like  foliage.    The  flower 

spikes,      in      many      various 

shades    of    colour,    resemble 

gladioli,   but  are  on   a  much 

smaller  scale.     M.  crocosmae- 

flora,      with      orange  -  scarlet 

flowers,  is  one  of  the  best  for 

the  border,   and   M.  elegans, 

a  pretty  shaded  yellow,  and    M.    Fairy   Star,   a   rich  orange   with    yellow   centre,    are 

also  very  effective.       The  Montbretias  grow  and   succeed  almost  anywhere,   but  prefer 

a   fairly    light   soil.      There  are  now   quite    a   number    of   hybrid    varieties    reared    in 

France,    some   of   which    are   very    charming. 
NARCISSUS.       Amongst   the   large-flowered   or    trumpet   section,    some   of   the  best   are   N. 

Empress,    a    beautiful    variety,    with     rich     golden    yellow    trumpet    and    large    white 

perianth  ;    N.   Emperor,   a  fine  effective  rich   yellow  ;    N.    Golden  Spur,   a  very  showy 

variety,  of  a  rich  golden  yellow,  the  trumpet  being  broad  and  reflexed  ;    N.  Johnstoni 

(Queen   of   Spain),   a  very   pretty   flowered   variety  with  fine  sulphur-coloured   flowers. 

N.   maximus,   one  of  the  finest,  having  rich  golden  yellow  flowers,  the  perianth  being 

finely  twisted  ;    N.   Telamonius   plenus   is   the    old-fashioned  double  daffodil,   and  still 

one    of    the    most    useful.       A.     few    good    medium    flowered    varieties    are    N.    Barri 

conspicuus,  which  is  one  of   the  finest  of  this  class,  having  a   broad    yellow   perianth 


FIG.   374.— LAVENDER   UNDER   THE   CASEMENT. 


321 


HARDY    FLOWERING    PERENNIALS    FOR    BEDS,    BORDERS,    &c. 

Hardy  edged    with    deep    orange ;     very    showy ;      N.    incomparabilis    giganteus,    Sir    Watkin, 

perennials.  a  very  fine   variety   with  fine  sulphur   perianth  ;    N.    incomparabilis,    Cynosure,    has   a 

large  perianth,  sulphury  white ;  N.  Leedsi,  Mrs.  Langtry,  a  pretty  variety  with  broad 
white  perianth  and  a  large  white  cup ;  N.  C.  J.  Backhouse,  a  distinct  variety  with 
broad  white  perianth  and  yellow  cup  ;  N.  triandrus  albus,  a  very  small  flower 
resembling  the  cyclamen  in  shape  and  creamy  white  in  colour,  very  pretty  ; 
N.  Orange  Phoenix,  a  showy  variety  with  large  white  flowers  streaked  with  orange, 
commonly  known  as  "  eggs  and  bacon."  Amongst  the  short  cup  varieties  may  be 
named  N.  biflorus,  a  free-flowering  variety,  bearing  two  flowers  on  one  stalk,  of 
a  creamy  white  colour  ;  N.  poeticus  ornatus,  a  fine  free-flowering  variety,  bearing- 
flowers  with  a  broad  perianth  and  rich  orange  cup  ;  N.  p.  plenus  is  a  double 
white  variety,  very  sweet-scented  and  useful  for  cutting,  but  rather  a  shy  bloomer. 
These  do  not  by  any  means  exhaust  the  many  varieties  of  Narcissi,  but  will  be 
found  to  contain  a  nice  selection  which  might  form  the  nucleus  for  a  larger  collection. 

(ENOTHERA  FRASERI,  (E.  macrocarpa,  and  (E.  Youngi  are  all  very  useful  yellow-flowered 
border  plants.  (Enothera  biennis  is  the  Evening  Primrose. 

ORNITHOGALUM  NUTANS  is  well  adapted  to  the  wild  garden  ;  it  flourishes  and  increases 
rapidly.  The  flowers  are  of  a  whitish  green,  and  look  very  pretty  in  a  cluster. 
O.  umbellatum,  Star  of  Bethlehem,  comparatively  unknown  under  its  formidable 
botanical  name,  has  clusters  of  five  or  six  pure  white  flowers  on  a  short  stem. 
The  bulbs  should  be  planted  in  the  Autumn  and  when  once  established  they  should 
not  be  disturbed. 

OROBUS  vERNUS,..one  of  the  Vetches,  makes  a  pretty  border  plant  with  purple  flowers, 
blooming  in  early  Spring.  There  are  several  other  varieties,  but  this  is  one  of  the 
best  ;  height  2\  feet. 

PAP  AVER  ORIENTALIS,  or  Oriental  Poppies,  make  a  fine  show,  and  may  be  planted  in 
almost  any  position  where  bright  masses  of  colour  are  required.  Colour,  flaming 
scarlet,  height  2£  feet.  There  are  now  many  varieties  of  excellent  pink  shades. 

P^EONIA,  Paeony.  No  garden  would  be  complete  without  some  of  these  ;  they  are  easy 
of  culture  and  make  a  brilliant  show.  As  there  are  a  great  number  of  varieties  it 
is  a  difficult  matter  to  decide  which  are  the  best,  but  the  following  will  be  found  to 
be  good  and  reliable,  merits  which  cannot  be  claimed  for  a  number  of  hybrids  that 
are  advertised  :  Felix  Crousse,  carmine  ;  Lady  Anne,  silver  pink  ;  Lord  Derby, 
purple  crimson,  and  Marie  Lemoine,  a  pure  double  white. 

PHLOX.  An  indispensable  class  of  plants  of  various  colours  and  easy  culture,  no  border 
being  complete  without  them.  Amongst  the  early  flowering  varieties  I  should 
recommend  Purple  Emperor,  Lady  Napier,  A.  M'Kinnon  and  Snowdon.  For  a 
selection  of  late-flowering  varieties  :  White — Delight,  Freifraulein  von  Lassburg, 
Pyramide,  Tapis  blanc,  Mrs.  Jenkins,  Frau.  Ant.  Buchner.  Mauve — Charles  Flahault, 
E.  Danzanvilliers,  A.  Mercie.  Blue  and  purple — Eclaireur,  Iris,  Le  Mahdi.  Pink- 
General  van  Heutz,  Moliere,  Neptune,  Wm.  Robinson,  Selma,  Elizabeth  Campbell. 
Red — -Coquelicot,  Embrasement,  Etna,  Jocelyn,  Dr.  Konigschoffer. 

PHYSALIS  FRANCHETI,  a  variety  of  Winter  Cherry  ;  it  makes  a  fine  show  in  Autumn,  having 
a  bright  crimson  globe-shaped  pod  in  which  the  fruit  is  enclosed  ;  it  is  very  useful 
for  cutting,  lasting  for  many  weeks  ;  height  2  feet. 

PINKS.  Of  all  the  beautiful  edging  plants  none  are  so  good  as  the  white  pink,  which 
even  when  not  in  flower,  forms  a  good  silvery  margin.  The  two  best  varieties  are 
Mrs.  Sinkins  and  Her  Majesty. 

POLEMONIUM,  or  Jacob's  Ladder,  is  a  well-known  old-fashioned  plant,  which  should  be 
in  every  border.  P.  Richardsoni  is  a  very  pretty  pale  blue,  and  flowers  for  fully 
three  months.  The  white  form,  P.  Richardsoni  album,  is  as  free-flowering  as  the  blue. 

322 


HARDY    FLOWERING    PERENNIALS    FOR    BEDS,    BORDERS,    &c. 

POLYGONATUM    MULTIFLORUM,    more    familiar    under    the    name    of    Solomon's    Seal.       The     Hardy 

white   bell-shaped   flowers,    suspended    from   beneath    the    long,    shapely,   symmetrically-    perennials. 
divided    frond-leaves,    or    fronds,    are    effective    in    the    border    or   in    the    wild    garden. 
This   is   a   good   plant   for  shade. 

POLYGONUM  CUSPIDATUM.  A  fine-looking  plant  for  places  where  it  can  have  plenty  of 
room  for  development,  often  growing  to  a  height  of  8  feet,  with  pretty  white  flowers, 
It  thrives  under  trees,  but  should  not  be  planted  where  it  will  be  likely  to 
smother  small  plants,  as  it  propagates  rapidly,  and  soon  covers  a  large  area.  P. 
sachalinense  is  another  variety  worth  growing. 

POTENTILLA.  There  is  a  large  family  of  these.  The  three  varieties  which  are  the 
most  distinct  are  P.  californica,  bright  double  yellow ;  P.  variabilis,  double  orange  and 
yellow  ;  and  P.  purpurea  plena.  These  will  flower  well  from  July  to  the  latter 
part  of  August  ;  height  ii  to  2  feet. 

PRIMROSE.  Our  beloved  hedgerow  companion,  and  the  probable  progenitor  of  all  the 
many  different  varieties,  has  but  to  be  mentioned  to  ensure  it  a  hearty  welcome  to 
our  wild  gardens.  The  double  white,  double  yellow,  double  mauve,  and  single 
varieties  all  do  well  in  a  nice  cool,  shady  place,  and  will  make  quite  a  blaze  of 
colour. 

PULMONARIA  AZUREA  (Lungwort),  a  fine  dwarf  blue,  much-flowering  variety,  which  is 
particularly  useful  for  moist  positions. 

PYRETHRUM.  This  will  do  well  in  almost  any  garden.  There  are  now  a  great  many 
varieties,  both  double  and  single,  both  of  which  forms  are  very  useful  for  cutting 
purposes  as  well  as  for  border  decoration.  They  have  a  great  range  in  colour,  and 
succeed  in  almost  any  soil  or  situation. 

RANUNCULUS  ACONITIFOLIUS  PLENUS,  or  Fair  Maids  of  France,  does  well  either  for  border 
or  bog  garden,  and  bears  clusters  of  double  white  flowers,  which  are  also  useful  for 
cutting. 

RHEUM.  The  ornamental  character  of  the  foliage  of  these  plants  should  be  sufficient 
commendation  to  secure  them  a  place  in  any  garden.  One  of  the  best  is  R. 
sanguineum,  the  foliage  of  which,  when  young,  is  a  beautiful  red,  the  flower  spike 
being  of  the  same  colour,  and  often  attains  a  height  of  ten  feet. 

RUDBECKIA  NEWMANI,  Newman's  dwarf  sunflower,  colour  bright  yellow  with  a  dark 
centre,  flowering  late  into  Autumn  ;  height,  18  inches.  R.  laciniata  plena,  or  Golden 
Glow,  should  also  have  a  place  in  every  garden  ;  it  resembles  a  double  sunflower, 
but  has  a  much  finer  substan'ce  ;  grows  5  to  6  feet  high. 

SAPONARIA  SPLENDIDISSIMA.  This  plant  is  a  great  acquisition  for  wall  or  rock  garden  ; 
forming  carpets  of  beautiful  rose-coloured  flowers. 

SAXIFRAGA,  an  extensive  class  of  Alpines  of  acknowledged  beauty,  carpeting  large  spaces 
effectively.  Amongst  the  best  are  S.  Burseriana,  which  flowers  very  early  and  forms 
nice  silvery  tufts  with  pretty  pure  white  flowers  borne  singly  on  stalks  about  2  inches 
long,  and  has  a  very  pleasing  effect  ;  S.  luteo-purpurea,  or  Frederick  Auguste, 
forms  beautiful  green  tufts  with  pale  yellow  flowers  ;  S.  Cochlearis,  a  crested  variety 
forming  nice  tufts,  the  flowers  of  which  are  a  beautiful  white  ;  S.  Cotyledon,  a  very 
free  variety  of  easy  culture,  forming  silvery  rosettes,  the  flower  spikes  often  attaining 
a  height  of  18  inches  ;  of  a  spreading  nature  and  a  beautiful  white,  and  will  succeed 
in  almost  any  soil.  S.  McNabiana  longifolia,  S.  Aizoon  lantoscana,  and  S.  Cotyledon 
pyramidalis  are  also  good.  Some  of  the  mossy  Saxifragas  are  very  useful  for  rather 
shaded  positions,  making  fine  green  carpets.  S.  Wallacei,  a  beautiful  form,  having 
large  pure  white  flowers  ;  S.  atropurpurea,  with  pretty  rose-coloured  flowers,  and 
S.  hypnoides,  will  be  found  very  useful  varieties.  S.  Guildford  Seedling,  red ;  S. 
decipiens  grandiflora,  red  ;  S.  barthoniensis,  crimson,  are  also  good  mossy  varieties. 

323 


HARDY    FLOWERING    PERENNIALS    FOR    BEDS,    BORDERS,    &c. 

Hardy  SCILLA.     S.    campanulata   and    S.    campanulata    alba    are    both    effective    varieties    for    the 

perennials.  border,   throwing  up  large  masses  of  flowers  year  by  year.      As  for  cultivation,   they 

simply  require  planting  and    leaving    alone.     They   are   very    useful    for   partial  shade. 

SEDUM.  These  well-known  and  most  desirable  rock  plants  will  grow  in  almost  any  soil 
or  position.  A  few  of  the  best  are  S.  elegans,  forming  spiral  tufts  of  foliage 
with  bright  yellow  flowers ;  S.  sexangulare,  a  creeping  variety  (resembling  the 
common  stonecrop),  forming  a  carpet  composed  of  a  dense  mass  of  verdant  green 
stars,  the  foliage  of  which  is  of  a  crimson  tint ;  and  S.  album,  which  is  well-known. 

SEMPERVIVUM.  Lovers  of  quaint  old  cottages  will  not  fail  to  recognise  these  plants, 
more  familiarly  known  as  Houseleek  ;  the  scanty  sustenance  they  obtain  in  the 
crevices  of  the  rough-cast,  or  in  the  rugged  projections  of  stone  tabling,  shows  the 
ease  with  which  they  can  be  cultivated.  S.  arachnoideum  forms  pretty  rosettes, 
covered  at  the  top  with  a  white  down  resembling  a  spider-web,  giving  it  a  fine 
appearance.  S.  triste  forms  large  rosettes  of  deep  purple,  and  is  one  of  the  finest 
varieties.  It  is  also  a  useful  plant  for  edging  purposes.  S.  californicum,  about 
the  largest  variety  of  all,  forms  rosettes  of  a  glaucous  colour,  the  tips  of  the 
leaves  being  a  dull  brown. 

SILENE  ACAULIS  is  one  of  the  best  plants  for  a  wall  garden  ;  it  thrives  in  dry  positions, 
and  forms  dense  cushions  of  green  foliage,  with  pink  flowers. 

SOLIDAGO,  or  golden  rod,  of  a  coarse  habit,  is  thoroughly  well  suited  to  the  wild  garden  ; 
where  its  tall  spikes  of  bright  yellow  show  to  advantage. 

SPIR/EA.  Amongst  these  S.  Aruncus  plumosus  takes  the  lead  for  border  work,  it  attains 
a  height  of  4  to  5  feet,  and  has  a  flower  spike  of  a  fine  creamy  white.  S.  A. 
astilboides  is  also  very  useful,  being  of  a  much  dwarfer  habit  ;  the  flowers  last  well 
when  cut.  S.  palmata,  pink,  and  S.  venusta,  rose,  are  also  very  showy.  S.  Davidi, 
is  a  recent  introduction,  producing  noble  spikes  of  rose-purple  flowers ;  4  to  5  feet 
in  height  ;  it  is  specially  suited  for  planting  near  ornamental  waters. 

SYMPHYTUM  CAUCASICUM,  or  borage  plant,  which  makes  a  showy  addition  to  the  wild 
garden,  is  a  free  flowerer,  with  fine  bright  blue  flowers  early  in  the  year. 

TELEKIA  SPECIOSA,  is  a  tall-growing,  glaucous-leaved  plant,  with  large  spikes  of  yellow 
flowers  ;  very  suitable  for  rough  places. 

THALICTRUM  AQUILEGIFOLIUM,  a  useful  border  plant,  with  foliage  resembling  the  aquilegia  ; 
it  grows  about  4  feet  high,  with  fine  feathery  heads  of  white  flowers.  T.  purpureum, 
purple,  is  also  a  very  fine  showy  perennial  with  pretty  foliage  and  white  heads  of 
flowers.  T.  flavum  is  a  fine  tall-growing  yellow  variety,  with  glaucous  foliage. 

TRILLIUM  GRANDIFLORUM,  or  American  wood  lily,  when  once  established,  makes  a  charming 
addition  to  the  border.  It  has  a  dwarf  habit,  bears  pure  white  lily-like  flowers, 
and  likes  rather  a  moist,  shady  position.  The  habit  of  growth  and  general  character 
of  the  plant  is  very  similar  to  the  Christmas  rose. 

TROLLIUS    (Orange   Globe)   is   a  splendid   border   plant    with   large  globular   orange  flowers. 

TULIP.  Having  regard  to  the  extreme  beauty  and  comparative  hardiness  of  florists'  Tulips, 
it  is  difficult  to  understand  the  way  they  have  been  neglected.  These  are  not  to  be 
confounded  with  the  varieties  which  are  imported  so  largely  from  Holland  ;  it  is  the 
old  garden  tulip  which  is  here  referred  to.  All  the  varieties  may  be  used  to  great 
advantage  in  the  borders ;  there  are  many  forms,  with  a  wide  range  of  colours, 
and  can  now  be  obtained  from  any  nurseryman  at  moderate  prices.  They  may  be 
allowed  to  remain  undisturbed  in  the  borders  from  year  to  year. 

VERBASCUM  OLYMPICUM,  is  conspicuous  for  its  large  white  rosettes  of  foliage,  and  clear, 
pretty,  yellow  spike,  varying  from  6  to  12  feet  high. 

VERATRUM  ALBUM  and  V.  NIGRUM  are  fine  foliaged  plants,  excellent  for  rock  or  wall 
gardens  or  borders. 

324 


HARDY    FLOWERING    PERENNIALS    FOR    BEDS,    BORDERS,    &c. 

VERONICA  SAXATILIS  and  V.  SAXATILIS  ALBA,  two  very  useful  plants  of  a  prostrate  habit, 
and  very  showy,  which  are  perfectly  hardy,  and  do  well  in  good  sandy  loam.  V. 
rupestris  is  another  prostrate  variety  with  fine  bright  blue  flowers.  V.  epacrioides, 
lycopoidoides,  and  V.  sabeonioides  are  New  Zealand  varieties  which  are  splendid 
for  the  rock  or  wall  garden.  V.  amethystina  is  a  showy  plant  with  spikes  of  bright 
blue  flowers,  eighteen  inches  high,  flowering  in  June  and  July.  Another  good 
border  variety  is  V.  longifolia  subsessilis,  which  has  large  spikes  of  deep  blue  flowers, 
and  grows  to  two  feet  high. 

AQUATIC   AND    SUB-AQUATIC    PLANTS    FOR    PLANTING   IN    PONDS    AND    BY    THE    MARGINS 

OF  STREAMS. 

Much    more    attention    is    now    paid    to    this    class    of    plants    than    was    formerly    the     Aquatic 
case,   water  and   bog  gardens   forming   a  part   of   many   garden   schemes.       This  is  not   to     plants. 
be    wondered    at    since    Marliac    has    reared    such    superb    water    lilies,    and    Japan    has 
supplied   us    with    such    very    charming    varieties    of    their   sacred    lilies    (Iris     Ksempferi). 
Apart   from   these,   however,   there    is    a    sufficient  number  of   beautiful    aquatics    and    bog 
plants    to    make  a    water    garden   desirable,   whilst   in   many  situations  their  use  allows  of 
spaces    of    ground    which    are    uninteresting,    and   even  objectionable,   being  converted   into 
spots   full   of  interest. 
ACORUS    CALAMUS,    or   sweet-scented    rush,    the   foliage   of    which   resembles   an    Iris   and   is 

evergreen,    and    when    broken    emits    a    sweet    scent  ;    it    does    well    in    shallow    water 

or   in   very   wet   ground   on   the   margins   of   ponds,    and    is   perfectly   hardy. 
ALISMA  NATANS   is  a  pretty  little  white-flowering   subject  for  shallow  water.     A.    plantago 

has   handsome    spikes    of    pale    rose-coloured    flowers,    2    to    3    feet    high. 
APONOGETON   DISTACHYON,   or    Cape    Pond    Weed,    often   called   Water   Hawthorn   from   its 

beautiful    fragrance,    is    one    of    the    easiest     water    plants    to    cultivate.       It    bears 

numberless   curiously   shaped   white   flowers,   relieved    on    the   inside    with    small   black 

dots,    is   fairly   hardy,    and   very   free   in   habit. 
ASPHODELUS  LUTEUS,   a  graceful  plant  for  a  moist  position,  has  grass-like  foliage  and   fine 

large  spikes   of   bright   yellow   flowers,   attaining   a   height   of   3   feet. 
BUTOMUS    UMBELLATUS    has    reed-like    foliage,    with   pretty   umbels   of   white    shaded    pink 

flowers,    and   thrives   well   in   shallow   water. 
CALLA   PALUSTRIS   (Bog   Arum)  is  very  useful   for    planting    in    shallow    water,    and    bears 

calla-like    flowers    on    green    spathes. 
CALTHA  PALUSTRIS  MONSTROSA  PLENA,  a  double  variety  of  the  marsh  marigold,  bears  full, 

large,  rich  yellow  flowers,   making  a  very  beautiful  margin  to  still  water. 
CYPRIPEDIUM  SPECTABILE   (the  Moccasin  flower),  from  N.  America,  the  finest  hardy  variety 

known,   succeeds   in  a  well-drained   moist   position,   and    likes   peat.      The  flower  stems 

vary    in    length    from    6    to   12  inches,  with  fine  large  white  and  shaded  pink  flowers. 

C.  calceolus,  the  British    form,  though  now   very  scarce  in   the   country,   has    a   flower 

of   a  fine   shade    of  yellow,   with    long    dark-brown    petals.      It    does    well    in    a   good 

heavy  soil  with  limestone,  and  likes  a  rather  shaded   place. 
CYPERUS    LONGUS    is    a   fine   foliage   plant    for    marshy    places. 
ELYMUS  GLAUCUS  is  a  very  ornamental  grass,  and  when  planted  in  tufts   makes  a  happy 

break  to  the  margin  of   a  stream,   especially  when  the  surroundings  have  a  tendency 

to   appear   too   tangled   or   disordered.       Another   beautiful    grass  is    Carex    pendula,   a 

fine   variety   for   growing   in   marshy   places    or    under    trees. 
FERNS.       No    bog   garden   is   complete    without    a   few   ferns.       The    well-known    Osmunda 

regalis,    or    Royal    fern,    is   by   general    consent    the   finest  ;     but    other    good    varieties 

are  Onoclea  sensibilis,   an   American  fern  of   easy  growth  which  likes  a  shaded   peaty 

position,    and    Struthiopteris    germanica,    or   ostrich   feather   fern,    a   fine   large-growing 

325 


HARDY    FLOWERING    PERENNIALS    FOR    BEDS,    BORDERS,    &c. 

Aquatic  variety,   which  is  well  worthy  of   a  place  ;    it  is  of  very  free   habit. 

plants.  GUNNERA  SCABRA    has  large   handsome    foliage,   with  leaves   sometimes  3   to  4  feet  across, 

and    requires  plenty   of   space   and   a   position   near,    but   not   in,    water. 
HOTTONIA   PALUSTRIS,    or    water   violet,    has    foliage   resembling    a   fern,    and    throws   up    a 
fine   spike   of   flower,    white   shaded   with   pink,    and   about   6    to    12   inches   in   height, 
growing    in    about    2    feet    of    water. 
LYSIMACHIA  CLETHROIDES,   with   spikes  of   pretty  white   flowers,   is  an   excellent   plant   for 

marshy    places  ;     height    2^    feet. 
LYTHRUM   ROSEUM.       A  very  showy  plant   with  spikes   of   rich  rosy  crimson,   which  does 

well    in    marshy    ground  ;     height    3    feet. 

MARSH  MARIGOLD,  both  double  and  single  varieties,  are  most  useful  for  margins  of  water. 
MENYANTHES    TRIFOLIATA,     or    Buckbean,    is    a    very    free-growing    plant    with    fine    sweet 

white    flowers,    useful    for    shallow    water. 

NYMPH^A  (Water  Lily).  A  few  of  the  hardiest  are  N.  Marliacea  chromatella,  a  beautiful 
yellow  with  finely  marbled  foliage  ;  N.  Robinsoni,  a  large-flowering  variety  with 
rich  vermilion-coloured  flowers  of  very  free  habit  ;  and  N.  alba  rosea,  a  fine  variety, 
the  flowers  rose  coloured,  equal  in  size  to  the  ordinary  white  water  lily.  No  sheet 
of  water  should  be  without  N.  alba,  the  freest-flowering  variety  of  all,  the  abundant 
quantity  of  its  bloom  making  quite  a  picture.  N.  Nuphar  lutea,  the  common  yellow 
variety,  is  one  that  could  not  easily  be  dispensed  with,  the  foliage  in  itself  being 
a  recommendation.  Other  beautiful  varieties  are  N.  Gladstoniana,  the  largest,  white  ; 
N.  Marliacea  carnea,  flesh-coloured  ;  N.  Laydekeri  fulgens,  violet  red  ;  and  N. 
Wm.  Falconer,  a  rich  deep  crimson  with  bright  golden  centre. 
PARNASSIA  PALUSTRIS,  or  Grass  of  Parnassus.  A  pretty  little  plant  for  bog  gardens, 

with  dark-green  foliage  and  well-formed  white  flowers,  and  very  easy  to  grow. 
PRIMULA  ROSEA,  a  plant  easy  to  grow,  with  beautiful  rosy  pink  flowers,  which  are 
numerous  and  last  for  weeks.  Planted  between  the  crevices  of  rock  near  the 
water's  edge,  it  soon  makes  a  fine  carpet  of  colour.  P.  sikkimensis  is  another 
beautiful  variety  for  a  moist  position,  throwing  up  an  abundance  of  fine  primrose 
yellow  flowers  on  stems  from  6  to  12  inches  long,  and  prefers  a  rather  shaded 
position.  P.  japonica,  with  its  rich  purple  flowers,  should  also  be  included. 
RANUNCULUS  AQUATILIS  has  fine  feathery  foliage  which  floats  on  the  top  of  the  water, 
interspersed  with  numerous  pure  white  flowers.  It  is  often  found  growing  in 
ponds,  and  requires  no  planting  ;  if  thrown  on  the  water  it  will  establish  itself. 
R.  lingua  is  a  fine  plant  for  the  edges  of  ponds  ;  in  shallow  water  it  grows  about 
2  feet  high,  and  bears  showy  bright  yellow  flowers.  R.  lingua  grandiflora  is  the 
Giant  Marsh  buttercup. 

SAGITTARIA  MONSTROSA  fl.  pi.  is  most  effective  for  use  in  the  margin  of  lakes  or  shallow 
water.  It  has  dark  green  leaves  and  fine  double  white  flowers,  varying  in  height 
from  12  to  1 8  inches. 

SAXIFRAGA  PELTATA,  a  large  handsome  foliage  plant  for  the  margins  of  lakes  and  streams. 

TRITOMA,    Red    Hot   Poker,   makes   a  fine    show   in   the   border.       It    is   well   known,    and 

with   fine    spikes   of    various    shades   of    red,    and   is    good    for    planting    for    effect    on 

the   higher  ground   above  the  lakes. 

TROLLIUS,    or    Globe    Flower,   is   very    useful    either    for    the    border   or   bog   garden,    the 

flowers  vary  from   pale  yellow  to  deep   orange,   and   are  very  free  blooming. 
TYPHA    LATIFOLIA,    the    Common    Bulrush,    needs    no    description,    it    nevertheless    is    a 
graceful    ornament    in    shallow    water    or   boggy    ground.       T.    minima    is    a   miniature 
variety,    not    more   than    18    inches    high. 


326 


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EXAMPLES^ 
GARDEN 
DESIGN . 


To  make  a  representative  selection  of  designs  from  the  large  number  of  plans  which 
the  practitioner  prepares  during  the  course  of  his  career  is  a  difficult  matter.  This 
arises  principally  from  the  fact  that  many  plans  which  would  be  instructive  and  interest- 
ing to  those  acquainted  with''  the  site  and  local  conditions,  are  more  or  less  meaningless 
to  persons  who  are  not.  This  is  particularly  true  in  regard  to  designs  prepared  for 
undulating  sites  ;  the  various  bends  and  turns,  rendered  necessary  by  the  contours  of 
the  ground,  could  only  adequately  be  explained  by  a  larger  number  of  sketches  or 
photographs  than  it  is  practicable  to  introduce.  There  are  other  instances  in  which, 
from  a  variety  of  causes,  it  is  impossible  to  illustrate  the  design  adequately.  The 
gardens  at  Graythwaite  Hall  are  a  case  in  point.  Those  who  know  the  difficulties 
encountered  in  laying  out  such  gardens  would  measure  their  success  by  the  amount  of 
improvement  actually  accomplished  ;  whereas  only  the  plan  of  the  garden  as  it  is  can  be 
illustrated.  The  point  to  keep  in  mind  is  that  the  plans  selected  are  intended  to  show 
the  practical  applications  of  the  principles  already  dealt  with.  In  this  way  many 
schemes  which,  pictorially  considered,  might  add  to  the  effect  of  the  book,  have  had  to 
be  omitted,  as  their  inclusion  would  not  serve  any  practical  purpose,  or  assist  the  reader 
to  grasp  the  conditions  which  are  conducive  to  successful  garden  design.  The  endeavour 
has  been  to  select  designs  ranging  from  a  small  villa  garden  to  those  of  twelve  or  four- 
teen acres,  thus  dealing  with  those  conditions  most  often  encountered.  The  descriptive 
matter  accompanying  the  illustrations  explains  as  far  as  possible  the  conditions  under 
which  the  designs  had  to  be  carried  out,  and  the  effect  which  it  was  desirable  to  attain, 
results  being  left  for  the  illustrations  to  expound. 

Planning  small  gardens  is  almost  as  delightful  as  designing  small  houses  ;  and  although 
it  would  be  safe  to  state  that  there  are  a  dozen  averaging  from  a  quarter  to  half  an 
acre  for  every  one  over  two  acres  in  extent,  yet  garden  designers  seldom  get  the  oppor- 
tunity of  arranging  them.  For  this  reason  I  am  compelled  to  give,  as  the  smallest 
gardens  illustrated,  those  belonging  to  members  of  my  own  family. 

GARDENS    TO    SEMI-DETACHED    HOUSES. 

The  first  plan  shows  two  gardens  surrounding  semi-detached  residences  at  Heathwaite, 
which  is  on  the  East  side  of  Windermere  Lake,  at  an  elevation  of  nearly  three  hundred 
feet  above  the  level  of  its  surface,  and  commanding  some  of  the  finest  views  in  the 
district.  In  the  only  direction  in  which  future  building  was  likely  to  take  place  are  a 
few  characteristic  cottages,  which  in  no  way  spoil  the  outlook,  and  are  much  more 
presentable  than  the  speculative  buildings  which  might  otherwise  have  been  erected.  To 
give  meaning  to  the  garden  designs  and  their  connections  with  the  houses,  the  ground- 


329 


EXAMPLES     OF     GARDEN     DESIGN. 


Small 

detached 

residence. 


floor  apartments  are  worked  out  on  the  plans.  It  will  be  noticed  that  the  site  is 
bounded  by  public  roads  on  the  South,  East  and  North  sides,  the  ground  to  the  S.W.  of 
the  garden  being  planted  as  an  orchard.  The  houses  are  placed  much  nearer  the  South 
than  the  North  boundaries,  as  this  portion  of  the  ground  is  considerably  more  elevated 
than  the  remainder.  In  designing  the  gardens  it  was  decided  to  have  one  tennis  lawn 
in  common  on  the  S.W.,  and  that  both  houses  should  conjointly  use  the  walks  connecting 
with  the  several  public  roads,  but  to  divide  the  remainder  of  the  ground  as  equally 
as  possible.  A  deep  terrace,  15  feet  wide  in  front,  and  on  the  N.W.  end  of  the  house, 
is  connected  with  the  entertaining  rooms  by  the  verandah  ;  between  this  and  the  lawn 
tennis  ground,  is  a  second  terrace,  25  feet  wide,  both  terraces  being  supported  by  rough 
broken-coursed  walls,  coped  with  thick  Westmorland  slates,  with  rough  steps  to  foster 


FIG.   377. 

THE  NUMBERS  ON  THE  PLAN  INDICATE  : (l)PORCH,    (2  )  ENTRANCE  LOBBY,   (3  )  DRAWING  ROOM,    (4)  STUDY,   (5  )  DINING  ROOM, 

(6)  KITCHEN,     (/)   SCULLERY,    (8)   YARD,    (9)   VERANDAH,    (lO)   LOWER   TERRACE. 

the  growth  of  spleenwort  and  other  ferns,  as  shown  in  the  photograph.  An  outcrop  of 
virgin  rock  which  existed  on  the  site  of  the  terrace  walls  was  left  partly  uncovered,  so 
as  to  give  accommodation  for  rock  plants,  and  from  this  the  higher  terrace  wall  rises 
quite  naturally. 

Beech  hedges  divide  the  tennis  ground  from  the  orchard  on  the  South-west,  and  the 
flower  border  and  main  walk  from  the  kitchen  garden  on  the  North-west  side.  The 
acute  angle  enclosed  by  the  two  roads  at  the  North  corner  of  the  site  is  planted  with 
evergreen  shrubs,  growing  to  a  considerable  height  to  screen  the  garden  from  some 
cottages  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  road.  All  the  flower  borders  are  filled  with  choice 
hardy  perennials  and  sweet-scented  and  free-flowering  roses,  and  all  the  walls  are  covered 
with  a  selection  of  clematis,  climbing  roses,  and  other  hardy  climbers. 


330 


EXAMPLES     OF     GARDEN     DESIGN. 

GARDEN   TO   A   SMALL   DETACHED   RESIDENCE. 

The  small  garden  at  the  Corbels,  Windermere  (111.  No.  382),  will  probably  be  inter- 
esting, as  it  was  the  property  of  the  writer,  and  being  designed  for  his  own  occupation, 
consequently  expresses  his  own  ideas  untrammelled  by  the  wishes  or  prejudices  of  a 
client.  There  is,  therefore,  more  of  that  feeling  of  breadth  and  continuity  of  purpose 
which  should  characterise  an  ideal  small  garden,  and.  which  is  usually  absent  owing  to 
the  overcrowding  of  plants  and  other  features. 

There  are  no  drive  or  carriage  turn,  and  instead  of  sloping  paths  there  are  fourteen 
steps  from  the  garden  entrance  to  the  front  door,  otherwise  the  tennis  lawn,  so  restful 
to  the  eye,  would  have  been  impossible.  The  arrangement  of  the  steps  is  much  easier, 
especially  for  old  people,  than  the  steep  path  which  would  otherwise  have  been  necessary. 
By  referring  to  the  plan  it  will  be  noticed  that  whereas  steps  are  necessary  in  order  to 
reach  the  front  door,  the  back  path  is  level  ;  it  will  therefore  be  realized  that  the  fall 


Semi- 
detached 
residences. 


FIG.    3/8. — TERRACES    IN    FRONT   OF    SEMI-DETACHED  RESIDENCES. 

in  the  ground  between  the  Windermere  road  and  the  field  below  the  summer-house 
is  considerable.  It  was  to  meet  these  levels  that  a  terrace  three  feet  six  inches  below 
the  floor  level  of  the  house,  was  arranged,  the  tennis  lawn  being  constructed  at  a 
level  about  half-way  between  those  of  the  terrace  and  field.  Thus  the  terrace  is  three 
and  a  half  feet  below  floor  level,  while  the  tennis  lawn  is  three  feet  six  inches  lower  or 
seven  feet  below  floor  level,  and  the  field  again  ten  feet  below  floor  level.  The  terrace 
and  boundary  walls  are  built  of  the  native  blue  slate  rock  with  coping  of  the  same 
material,  a  touch  of  character  being  given  by  the  arched  gateway,  connecting  with  the 
highway  and  the  summer-house. 

A  feature  is  also  made  of  the  trellis  work,  which  gives  a  dividing  line  between  the 
summer-house  walk  and  the  fruit  border,  and  also  provides  the  necessary  connection 
between  the  house  and  the  summer-house,  and  being  overgrown  with  climbers,  is  a  pretty 
feature  in  the  garden.  The  connecting  border  is  planted  with  free-flowering  roses, 


33i 


EXAMPLES     OF    GARDEN     DESIGN. 


FIG.  379. — GARDENS  TO  A  SMALL  DETACHED  RESIDENCE. 


FIG.  380. — GARDENS  TO  A  SMALL  DETACHED  RESIDENCE. 

332 


EXAMPLES     OF     GARDEN     DESIGN. 


including  some  of  the 
at  regular  intervals, 
inside  the  wall  by 
lawn,  which  is  allowed 
giving  the  appearance 
with  the  hedge  on  the 
bordering  the  road  to 
hedge,  to  be  trimmed 
shapes.  The  whole  of 
clad.  The  long  border 
perennials,  varied  at 
golden  hollies  and 
the  terrace  at  the  head 
golden  Irish  yews, 
walk,  to  be  formed 
The  small  kitchen 
through  an  archway 
seen  on  the  right  hand 
Nos.  379  and  380,  and 
middle  by  a  walk,  on 
planted  a  thorn  hedge, 
to  be  clipped  to  shape, 
all  the  purposes  of 
drying  ground,  and 
necessity  of  providing 


single  varieties  ;    whilst   standard   Gloire   de 


FIG.  381. — GRASS  WALK  AT  THE  CORBELS,  WINDERMERE. 


Dijon  roses  are  placed 
A  box  hedge  is  planted 
the  side  of  the  tennis 
to  grow  over  it,  thus 
of  a  retaining  wall 
top ;  and  parallel  to  it, 
Bowness,  is  another 
to  conventional 
the  walls  are  climber- 
is  planted  with  hardy 
intervals  with  standard 
Cupressi  Frazeri.  On 
of  the  steps  are  two 
rising  out  of  the  gravel 
later  into  an  arch, 
garden  is  entered 
in  the  trellis,  to  be 
side  of  illustrations 
is  divided  in  the 
one  side  of  which  is 
When  grown,  this  is 
and  will  then  answer 
a  more  pretentious 


do     away     with     the 
the   usual   posts  and   lines,  which  disfigure  so  many  small  gardens. 


FIG.    382. 

All   the   flower   borders   are   filled   with   hardy    perennials  ;    bedding-out   plants,  which 
would   add  considerably  to  the  expense  of  maintenance,  not  being  required.     Economy  has 


A  small 
detached 
residence. 


333 


A  larger 
detached 
residence. 


EXAMPLES    OF    GARDEN     DESIGN. 

been  considered  all  round,  and  this  fact  may  have  added  something  to  their  quiet  repose- 
ful feeling.  The  Corbels  is  the  more  distant  of  the  houses  in  illustration  No.  378. 
Since  this  plan  was  drawn,  an  additional  strip  of  ground  has  been  purchased,  making  it 
possible  to  construct  the  grass  walk  and  borders  shown  in  accompanying  photograph 
(111.  No.  381). 

GARDENS   FOR  A   LARGER   DETACHED    RESIDENCE. 

This  provides  another  example  of  a  garden  only  slightly  larger  than  the  last,  which 
was  laid  out  some  seven  years  ago  for  the  late  Mr.  Robert  R.  Mawson  on  a  site  imme- 
diately opposite  the  main  entrance  to  the  well-known  Windermere  Nursery  Gardens,  of 


SHRIBLANDS 
WINDERMERE 

Q/ccUe  gfcf 


FIG.   383. 


which  he  was  the  owner.  The  nursery  and  the  residence  were  planned  in  relation  to 
one  another,  the  main  entrance  door  and  porch  to  the  latter  being  so  placed  that  the 
path  up  to  them  from  the  highway  continued  the  lines  of  the  vista  down  the  principal 
path  of  the  former. 

The  Nursery  grounds  being  leasehold,  there  was  always  the  possibility  that  they  might 
be  abandoned  in  favour  of  another  site,  and  it  was  therefore  desired  that  some  of  the 
conservatories  and  plant  houses,  together  with  accommodation  for  the  clerical  staff,  should 


334 


EXAMPLES     OF    GARDEN     DESIGN. 

form    part    of   the    Shrublands   scheme,    thus   creating   a  permanent   business   centre.      Re-    A  larger 
ference  to  the  plan    (111.   No.  383)    will    show   how  this  has  been  effected  to  the  North  of    detached 
the  house,   and   in   such   a  manner  as  to  leave   the  West,   South   and    East  fronts  for  the    residence. 
use    of   the    residents. 

This  necessity  for  devoting  a  part  of  the  grounds  to  the  needs  of  the  business  of 
course  still  further  curtailed  the  area  available  for  the  grounds,  but,  by  making  the  very 
most  of  the  remaining  space,  quite  a  self-contained  series  of  pleasaunces  has  been  contrived. 
Entering  from  the  highway  by  the  gate  and  steps  shown  in  illustration  No.  73,  we  come 
first  of  all  to  the  forecourt  surrounded  by  clipped  hedges,  and  with  the  path  from  the  gate 
to  the  porch  crossing  it.  This  path  is  flagged  in  the  centre  and  the  remaining  space  on 
either  side  paved  with  cobbles,  thus  combining  the  rusticity  of  the  latter  method  with 
the  practical  advantages  of  the  former.  It  is  crossed  by  another  walk,  which,  to  the 


FIG.     384. — VIEW     FROM     THE     LAWN,     SHRUBLANDS,     WINDERMERE. 

left,  leads  through  an  arch  in  the  clipped  hedge  to  the  business  entrance  on  the  North 
side  of  the  main  block  of  buildings,  while,  to  the  right,  it  passes  between  other  hedges 
to  the  pleasure  grounds  proper.  ,  These,  on  the  South  front  of  the  house,  are  constructed 
in  three  levels,  the  two  upper  being  terraces  one  above  the  other,  and  the  lowest  a 
tennis  lawn.  Comparison  of  the  plan  of  these  gardens  with  illustration  No.  384  will 
explain  how  this  is  done  more  clearly  than  any  description  possibly  could,  and  the 
photograph  will  further  show  how  the  local  character  is  expressed  in  the  building,  and 
also  the  architectural  adjuncts  of  the  garden,  such  as  the  walls,  steps  and  pergola  columns. 
They  are  all  built  from  the  rock  quarried  on  the  site,  which  in  itself  is  almost  enough 
to  ensure  this.  Sufficient  rock  is  still  left,  however,  to  be  introduced  into  the  garden 
scheme  as  an  ornamental  feature,  and  to  grow  Alpine  and  other  rock  plants  on  in  the 
same  way  as  in  the  garden  first  described. 


335 


EXAMPLES    OF    GARDEN     DESIGN. 

A  larger  The   terraces,   made  necessary  by   the   contours   of  the  ground,  add  very  much  to  the 

detached  charm,   variety  and   convenience  of  the  garden.      In   small  places  such   as   this,  especially 

residence.  when  situated  in  a  mountainous  district,  there  is  not  only  something  particularly  restful 
in  the  level  stretches  they  provide,  but  they  also  allow  of  flat  walks  broad  enough  at 
least  for  two  to  walk  abreast  in  pleasant  conversation,  and,  if  paved  with  cobbles  or 
crazy  paving  with  their  numberless  joints  through  which  storm  water  will  rapidly  run 
away,  they  form  a  garden  attraction  which  is  equally  acceptable  at  all  times  of  the  year 
when  it  is  not  actually  raining.  By  using  walls  instead  of  grass  banks,  much  precious 
space  is  saved  and  the  opportunity  provided  for  a  charming  rock  and  wall  garden.  With 
this  end  in  view  the  lower  terrace  wall  is  built  dry,  that  is  without  mortar  or  cement, 
and  has  a  backing  of  earth,  as  described  in  the  chapter  which  deals  with  wall  gardens. 
A  layer  of  well-rotted  turf  was  also  built  into  the  wall  under  each  batch  of  plants,  and 
the  great  success  which  has  resulted  has  more  than  atoned  for  the  extra  expense  and 
trouble  involved.  A  marked  feature  of  this  simple  terrace  scheme  is  the  arrangement 
of  rough  rock  steps  from  one  level  to  the  other,  which,  though  costing  less  than  a  quarter 
the  sum  which  would  be  paid  for  the  usual  dressed  stone  steps,  are  well  adapted  to 
their  position,  and,  at  the  same  time,  admit  of  tufts  of  Alpine  flowers  between  the  chinks. 
While  the  garden  stands  among  wooded  surroundings,  it  is,  like  so  many  new  do- 
mains, entirely  without  big  trees  so  placed  as  to  give  extensive  shade,  it  has  therefore 
been  found  desirable  to  provide  the  pergola  erected  on  the  upper  terrace  near  the  garden 
entrance  from  the  drawing-room,  as  shown  in  illustration  No.  384.  This  feature  is  also 
built  of  local  stone,  and  serves  to  enclose  the  small  panel  garden  which  is  overlooked  by 
the  dining-room  window. 

The  ground  at  the  East  end  of  the  garden  is  devoted  to  herbs,  strawberries  and 
bush  fruit,  while  a  few  tall  conifers  in  the  South-east  corner  screen  adjoining  property. 
At  the  North-east  corner,  a  piece  of  land  has  been  devoted  to  children's  gardens,  and  a 
site  provided  for  a  play-house. 

The  part  of  the  land  devoted  to  the  nursery  business  has  been  laid  out  in  such  a 
manner  as  least  to  effect  the  privacy  of  the  remainder,  and,  at  the  same  time,  so  as  to 
allow  of  the  whole  being  converted  into  private  gardens  without  serious  alteration  should 
the  necessity  for  this  ever  arise. 

The  several  views  of  this  garden  which  are  given,  show  how  much  has  been  done  in 
the  very  short  time  in  which  it  has  existed  to  clothe  it  with  greenery,  and  how  the  many 
crudities  which  so  often  characterise  newly  formed  gardens  have  been  avoided. 

GARDENS   FOR   A   GOOD-SIZED   SUBURBAN   RESIDENCE. 

There  are  many  points  in  this  plan  which  serve  to  illustrate  some  of  the  recommen- 
dations made  in  the  earlier  part  of  this  work  ;  there  are  others  which  have  a  very  direct 
bearing  on  the  designing  of  gardens  connected  with  small  houses.  To  understand  the 
plan  of  the  garden  it  is  necessary  to  grasp  in  the  first  instance  the  plan  of  the  house, 
which  has  been  designed  with  some  regard  to  the  possibilities  of  the  garden,  but  more 
particularly  to  understand  the  position  of  the  ground  and  its  surroundings.  Situated 
on  the  West  side  of  the  old  road  leading  from  the  village  of  Berkhamsted  to  the 
Common,  and  at  the  top  of  the  steep  ascent  known  as  White  Hill,  there  is  only  one 
small  field  to  the  North-east  separating  it  from  the  Common.  The  ground  slopes  some 
three  feet  in  its  length  from  the  North-east  to  South-west,  but  along  the  road  there  is  a 
much  greater  fall,  the  point  opposite  the  gate  being  some  six  feet  below  the  garden 
level,  whilst  opposite  the  carriage  court  the  road  is  only  about  four  feet  lower.  Crosswise 
the  ground  is  practically  level,  but  beyond  the  North-west  fence  it  falls  rapidly  into  a 
valley,  the  rising  ground  on  the  opposite  side  being  richly  and  picturesquely  timbered. 
To  the  South  is  a  recently  erected  house,  which  in  a  great  measure  decided  the  plan  of 

336 


EXAMPLES     OF     GARDEN     DESIGN. 

the  garden  ;  beyond  this,  in  the  hollow,  is  seen  the  fine  old  tower  of  Berkhamsted 
Church,  with  the  charmingly  wooded  slopes  of  Ashlyns  Park  to  the  left. 

The  carriage  court  occupies  a  square,  two  sides  of  which  are  formed  by  an  angle  of 
the  building,  and  that  on  the  East  by  the  road,  on  to  which  the  entrance  opens  without 
an  intervening  drive,  while  on  the  North  side  it  is  enclosed  by  a  split  oak  fence, 
with  lattice-work  above,  some  seven  feet  six  inches  high.  The  kitchen  wing  and 
necessary  yard  space  are  immediately  behind  the  trellis  on  the  West  side,  and  the  house 
is  so  placed  on  the  site  as  to  allow  the  stable,  coach  house  and  yard  to  be  entered  direct 
from  the  carriage  court.  Tradesmen  have  a  separate  entrance  and  path,  arranged  behind 
the  North  side  of  the  trellis,  a  door  out  of  the  kitchen  yard  being  behind  the  carriage 
way  into  the  stable  yard.  The  greenhouse,  potting  shed,  and  herb  garden  occupy  the 
space  between  the  carriage  court  and  the  North  boundary  hedge. 

As  will  be  seen  from  the  perspective  view  of  the  grounds  (111.  No.  386),  the  garden 
scheme  on  the  South  front  of  the  house  is  centred  on  the  main  gable  with  its  verandah 
and  balcony.  This  allows  of  a  full-sized  tennis  lawn  backed  up  by  a  summer-house,  with 
apsidal  hedges  on  either  side  and  a  semi-circular  arrangement  of  flower  beds.  As  these 
features  come  to  one  side  of  the  ground,  there  is  room  on  the  other  for  a  nicely 


CT  wnoMnmt 

j.n.Tituon  «»  • 


FIG.     385. 

THE  PLAN  OF  THE  HOUSE  IS  EXPLAINED  BY  THE  FOLLOWING  NUMBERS: I.  CARRIAGE  COURT,  2.  KITCHEN  YARD,  3.  STABLE  YARD,  4. 

STABLE  BLOCK,  3.  GREENHOUSE,  WITH  POTTING  SHED  AT  THE  END,  6.  ENTRANCE  PORCH,  7.  ENTRANCE  AND  STAIRCASE  HALL.  8.  MORNING 
ROOM,  9.  GREAT  PARLOUR,  OPENING  INTO  CONSERVATORY  AND  VERANDAH,  IO.  DINING  ROOM,  OPENING  ON  TO  VERANDAH,  II.  KITCHEN. 

proportioned  panel  garden  with  a  sundial  in  -the  centre,  which  is  invaluable  in  adding 
interest  to  the  scheme.  Beyond  this  arrangement  is  a  kitchen  garden,  and  to  give 
greater  seclusion  to  it,  pergolas  are  constructed  over  the  walks  connecting  it  with  the 
pleasure  grounds. 

The  plateau  on  which  the  house  stands  is  but  two  feet  above  the  carriage  court 
and  one  foot  above  the  tennis  lawn.  This  change  of  level,  though  slight,  allows  of  a 
stone  kerb,  which  gives  the  effect  of  a  terrace  in  front  of  the  house,  and  at  the  foot  of 
which  is  a  border  for  select  free-flowering  and  sweet-scented  roses.  A  garden  seat  at 
each  end  finishes  the  raised  plateau,  and  embowering  arches  of  roses  are  placed  between 
the  main  terrace  walk  to  the  top  of  the  steps.  Along  the  East  side  of  the  garden  the 
old  hedge  and  dyke  have  been  retained,  but  to  make  its  line  conform  to  the  rest  of  the 
scheme  on  the  garden  side,  additional  common  hollies  are  planted,  the  whole,  when  suffi- 
ciently grown,  to  be  trimmed  to  one  level. 

Although  a  very  sunny  garden,  ample  shade  was  readily  provided  by  the  loggia, 
summer-house,  and  pergolas,  and  also  by  the  walk  between  the  house  and  the  North-west 
boundary.  The  garden  will  shortly  be  splendidly  protected  by  the  holly  hedge,  trimmed 
to  a  height  of  six  feet,  which,  with  good  growth,  should  be  accomplished  in  six  years. 


A  good 
sized 


*"       ence. 


337 


A  good 
sized 
suburban 
residence. 


EXAMPLES     OF     GARDEN     DESIGN. 

The  area  of  the  ground  being  restricted  and  the  intention  being  to  make  the  most 
of  it  as  a  garden  for  flowers,  shrubs  and  evergreen  trees  have  been  almost  entirely 
excluded.  The  holly  hedges  on  the  East  and  North  boundaries,  with  the  fine  holly  bushes 
standing  above  the  latter  ;  the  group  of  cypress  and  yew  trees  on  either  side  of  the 
summer-house,  and  the  standard  hollies,  will  provide  sufficient  greenery  for  the  Winter 
season.  During  the  Spring  months  there  is  a  wealth  of  bloom  on  flowering  shrubs, 
including  lilac,  mock  orange,  spiraea,  deutzia,  ribes,  weigela,  and  many  others. 


«*'8SL'    *<?  f    ••? 


£    •*?*••¥«>"  '   **4« 

^Livl  1C.    *SS2 


^i^i's^m^ 


F¥SP»^    ^^^^ 


FIG.     386. — -GARDENS     AT     BERKAMPSTED     DESIGNED     FOR     S.     R.     TIMSON,     ESQ. 

Climbers  are  planted  wherever  there  is  wall  space  or  treillage  over  which  to  ramble, 
and  the  accommodation  for  them  is  quite  exceptional  for  so  small  a  garden.  It  is 
expected  that  the  interest  from  this  class  of  plant  alone  will  more  than  compensate 
for  any  lack  of  shrubs.  In  addition  to  the  climbers  on  the  house,  out- buildings  and 
treillage,  single  roses,  such  as  carmine  pillar,  Austrian  briars,  etc.,  are  planted  at  regular 
intervals  along  the  several  borders  and  trained  to  larch  posts  some  seven  feet  high. 

A  LARGE  TOWN  GARDEN. 

As  an  example  of  a  town  garden,  I  do  not  think  I  can  do  better  than  to  give  a 
description  of  the  grounds  attached  to  the  town  house  of  Sir  William  Lever,  Bart.,  at 
Hampstead,  not  only  because  the  scheme  was  an  entirely  new  one,  completely  replacing 
the  gardens  which  existed  before,  but  also  because  the  outstanding  problem  was  one 
which  must  necessarily  occur  again  and  again  in  this  class  of  work. 

This  problem  consisted  in  the  satisfaction  of  two  main  requirements.  In  the  first 
place,  an  adjacent  knoll  on  Hampstead  Heath  overlooked  the  whole  of  the  grounds  in 
such  a  manner  as  to  make  any  sort  of  a  fete  or  garden  party  quite  out  of  the  question 
in  such  a  populous  district  unless  something  was  done  to  give  shelter  and  seclusion,  and, 
secondly,  this  seclusion  must  be  obtained  without  blocking  out  the  unique  view  over 


338 


EXAMPLES     OF     GARDEN     DESIGN. 


GARDENS  THE  D 
HILL  HAMP5TEAD 


FIG.   387. 


339 


EXAMPLES     OF    GARDEN     DESIGN. 

A  large  Harrow-on-the-Hill,   which  is  equally  good  from  the  grounds  as  from  the  adjacent  "  Horse 

town  Pond." 

garden.  jn   addition   to   these   two   main   requirements   there   were   other   factors   which   helped 

to  determine  the  nature  of  the  design  to  be  adopted.  Sir  William  Lever,  with  his 
usual  enterprise  and  energy,  was  anxious  that  whatever  was  done  should  be  done  quickly, 
and  that  the  design  should  not  be  one  which  would  take  a  long  time  to  weather  and 
attain  to  at  least  a  considerable  proportion  of  its  ultimate  effect.  It  was  also  desired 
that  provision  should  be  made  for  the  more  utilitarian  part  of  gardening,  propagating 
houses,  potting  sheds,  stores  and  frame  ground,  which  would  need  careful  contriving  if 
they  were  not  unduly  to  limit  the  space  available  for  pleasure  grounds,  and,  moreover, 
more  thought  had  to  be  given  to  the  question  of  open-air  entertaining  than  is  usually 
the  case  in  a  town  residence. 

Previous  to  the  preparation  of  the  scheme,  the  house  had  been  much  enlarged,  and 
the  music  room  and  china  room  wings,  shown  on  the  plan  (111.  No.  387),  added  by  the 
late  E.  A.  Ould,  Esq.,  of  Messrs.  Grayson  &  Ould,  Architects,  of  Liverpool,  who  was  also 
responsible  for  the  terrace  along  the  garden  front  of  the  house,  on  which  the  Author 
subsequently  placed  the  verandah  shown  in  illustrations  Nos.  171  and  172. 

These  additions  to  the  house  had  thrown  the  design  for  the  grounds,  as  it  previously 
existed,  completely  out  of  scale,  so  that,  quite  apart  from  the  altered  conditions  which  had 
been  brought  about,  the  preparation  of  a  completely  new  scheme  had  become  imperative. 

A  very  valuable  feature  which  has  been  carefully  retained  existed  in  the  presence  of 
a  number  of  fine  forest  trees  near  the  house,  but,  apart  from  these,  there  was  little  but 
the  requirements  to  be  met  to  guide  the  designer  in  the  preparation  of  his  scheme.  On 
the  contrary,  there  was  a  drop  of  considerably  more  than  thirty  feet  from  the  floor  level 
of  the  house  to  the  West  boundary  of  the  estate,  a  distance  of  only  some  two  hundred 
and  fifty  feet  from  the  ends  of  the  projecting  wings,  thus  involving  an  engineering  feat 
which  would  have  deterred  a  less  energetic  client,  if  level  lawns,  so  necessary  to  a  town 
house  where  entertaining  is  to  be  done,  were  to  be  formed.  Of  course  this  engineering 
feat  had  to  be  kept  entirely  out  of  sight,  and  thus  it  presented  a  further  problem  to  be 
dealt  with. 

How  this  drop  in  the  ground  was  met,  and  not  only  met,  but  so  met  as  to  prove 
an  actual  asset,  will  be  seen  by  comparing  the  plan  with  the  accompanying  photographic 
illustrations.  The  building  of  a  retaining  wall  sufficiently  high  to  allow  of  the  flat  lawns 
shown,  not  only  gave  a  splendid  vantage-point  from  which  to  view  the  wonderful  prospect 
over  Harrow-on-the-Hill,  but  also  provided  means  for  placing  the  propagating  houses, 
frame  ground,  etc.,  out  of  sight  below  it,  while  the  potting  shed,  gardener's  store,  and 
the  heating  chamber  for  the  glass-houses  were  provided  for  under  the  raised,  pergola- 
covered  terrace  which  encloses  two  sides  of  the  lawn,  and  which  is  shown  in  illustrations 
Nos.  388  and  389. 

As  will  be  seen,  the  axial  line  through  the  centre  of  the  house  is  very  strongly 
marked  by  the  spreading  steps  and  water-lily  pond  shown  in  one  of  the  photographs. 
In  the  original  scheme,  this  visual  axis  was  closed  by  the  central  gable  of  the  conserva- 
tory shown  in  illustration  No.  275,  but  since  this  photograph  was  taken,  the  erection 
has  been  removed  and  the  pergola  temple  shown  in  illustration  No.  388  put  in  its  place, 
and,  as  we  go  to  press,  a  further  extension  and  improvement  is  nearing  completion, 
whereby  the  main  axial  line  through  the  centre  of  the  house,  the  main  terrace  steps,  and 
the  lily  pond  will  be  continued  for  a  considerable  distance  along  a  raised  terrace  extend- 
ing away  from  the  house,  and  treated  in  the  same  manner  as  the  pergola  already  referred 
to.  From  this  extended  terrace  or  exedra  fresh  views  of  the  beautiful  country  visible 
from  the  Heath  will  be  obtained,  and,  at  the  same  time,  the  grounds  as  a  whole  will 
gain  enormously  in  apparent  as  well  as  in  real  size. 

340 


EXAMPLES    OF    GARDEN    DESIGN. 


FIG.    388. — LILY    POND    AND    PERGOLA,    THE    HILL,    HAMPSTEAD,    DESIGNED    FOR    SIR    WILLIAM 

LEVER,    BART. 


FIG.  389. — PERGOLA,  POND  AND  TERRACES  AT  THE  HILL,  HAMPSTEAD. 

341 


EXAMPLES     OF     GARDEN     DESIGN. 


FIG.     390. — GARDENS     AND     CHINA-ROOM     WING     AT     THE     HILL,     HAMPSTEAD 


FIG.     391. — GARDENS     AND     MUSIC-ROOM     WING     AT     THE     HILL,     HAMPSTEAD. 

342 


EXAMPLES     OF    GARDEN     DESIGN. 

The    whole    extent    of    the    estate    is    some    four-and-a-half    acres,    of    which,    however,     A  large 
one-and-a-half   acres   are   detached   and   are   used   as   a   cricket   ground,   leaving   three   acres     town 
for   the    area   shown    on    the   plan,    including   the   portion   covered    by   the    house    and    its     garden. 
extended  side  wings.      This  area  is,   of  course,  still  further  curtailed  by  the  small  portion 
unavoidably  given  up  to  the  carriage  approach  and  that  occupied  by  the  stables,  so  that 
a   glance   at    the   accompanying   photographs    will   show   at    once   that    the   very   most   has 
been  made  of  the  remaining  portion  which  could  be  devoted  to  the  pleasure  grounds  after 
the  further  deductions  necessary   to  provide  for  the  frame  ground   and  glass  houses.      As 
before   explained,   however,   these  latter   have   been   arranged   very   economically   as   regards 
space. 

It  has  been  difficult,  in  the  very  restricted  space  which  could  be  devoted  to  this 
garden,  to  illustrate  the  grounds  as  fully  as  one  would  have  wished,  but  the  four  accom- 
panying photographs  have  been  selected  as  giving  the  best  general  idea  obtainable  without 
exceeding  the  space  at  our  disposal.  Of  these,  two,  as  already  hinted,  look  along  the 
main  axial  line  through  the  grounds,  No.  388  looking  away  from,  and  No.  389  towards 
the  house.  The  first  of  these  shows  very  clearly  the  general  design  of  the  pergola,  as 
well  as  the  lily  pond  which  has  been  mentioned  in  the  chapter  devoted  to  water  in  the 
garden,  with  its  stepping  stones  for  reaching  the  lilies  «.nd  its  central  fountain,  which  is  a 
piece  of  clever  modelling  by  Mr.  Derwent  Wood  which  has  attracted  considerable  interest. 
It  is  finished  in  lead. 

The  other  illustration  on  the  same  page  shows  the  small  details  of  the  pergola  design 
more  distinctly,  and  also  the  central  flight  of  steps  leading  from  the  lower  terrace  to  the 
upper  ;  and  behind  these  is  seen  the  verandah,  of  which  nearer  views  have  been  given 
(111.  Nos.  171  and  172). 

The  two  remaining  illustrations  (Nos.  390  and  391)  give  general  views  which,  when 
examined  together  with  the  plan,  will  give  a  very  fair  idea  of  the  general  appearance  of 
the  gardens.  In  No.  391  the  fine  timber  trees,  which  are  such  an  asset  to  the  scheme, 
are  to  be  seen  with  oak  seats  encircling  their  boles,  while  in  No.  390  the  extreme  end-  of 
the  pergola  shown  in  the  first  two  illustrations  described  is  visible,  with  the  domed  rose- 
temple  which  finishes  it.  Another  of  these  domed  temples  is  placed  at  the  corner  of  the 
lawn,  where  the  best  view  over  Harrow  can  be  obtained.  This  last  photograph  was 
taken  soon  after  the  steps  were  completed,  and  before  the  greenery  which  covers  them  in 
the  other  view  had  had  time  to  develop.  It,  however,  shows  the  more  clearly  for 
this  that  the  difference  of  level  between  the  two  terraces  has  been  disposed  in  two 
grass  banks  with  a  broad  grass  walk  between  them.  As  the  boughs  of  the  large  elm 
and  other  trees  sweep  out  over  this  walk,  it  is  a  most  successful  feature. 

* 

GROUNDS  TO  A  NEW  COUNTRY  SEAT. 

It  is  a  very  real  cause  for  lament  that  the  modern  spirit  of  change  reaches  so 
often  the  old  country  seats  which  are  the  pride  of  every  Englishman  who  loves  his  own 
rural  countryside.  Next,  therefore,  to  assisting  in  the  preservation  and  enrichment  of  the 
old  (as  in  the  concluding  example  of  this  series),  the  Writer  has  had  no  more  agreeable 
or  fascinating  task  than  when  he  has  been  called  in  to  create  a  new  domain  which, 
while  it  is  modern,  will  still  fulfil  all  the  functions  in  the  future  of  the  old  ancestral 
home  of  the  past.  He  has  liked  even  to  feel  that,  if  his  work  can  reach  the  high 
level  he  would  wish  by  the  help  of  a  sympathetic  and  artistic  proprietor,  it  may  even- 
tually attain  to  that  mellow  beauty  which  is  at  present  the  prerogative  of  the  old 
examples. 

There  was  an  exceptional  opportunity  for  this  at  Dunchurch  Lodge,  which  is  illus- 
trated in  the  accompanying  photographs.  The  name  "  Dunchurch  "  is  associated  in  the 
minds  of  most  people  with  the  immortal  Mr.  Pickwick  returning  in  the  pouring  rain 

343 


EXAMPLES     OF     GARDEN     DESIGN. 


;  JOHN  LANCAS 


0000001  leoccooo 
ooe 


EXAMPLES     OF    GARDEN     DESIGN. 

from  his  unsuccessful  journey  to  Birmingham,  and,  when  one  visits  the  actual  scene  of  A  new 
the  incident,  the  association,  instead  of  being  rudely  dispelled,  as  is  so  often  the  case,  is  country 
immediately  heightened  in  a  most  delightful  manner.  There  are  still  the  old  stocks  in 
which  malefactors  and  unfortunates  were  so  often  confined,  and  which  carry  us  back 
with  a  rush  to  the  days  of  beadles  in  cocked  hats  and  overflowing  self-importance,  and 
there  are  the  old  houses  and  coaching  inns  with  scarcely  a  modern  feature  pronounced 
enough  to  dispel  the  illusion,  and  over  all  lies  that  peaceful  and  wholly  undefinable  charm 
which  belongs  exclusively  to  the  old  coaching  town. 

Considering  the  nature  of  the  task  before  the  designer,  such  surroundings  could  not 
fail  to  be  most  inspiring.  The  new  domain  to  be  created,  standing  as  it  does  less  than 
a  hundred  yards  from  the  centre  of  the  little '  town,  with  its  rather  less  than  a  thousand 
inhabitants,  is  still  screened  from  it  sufficiently  so  to  prevent  any  clashing  of  new  and 
old  until  the  former  shall  have  been  clothed,  by  Nature  and  the  hand  of  Time,  with  that 
beauty  which  it  is  so  impossible  to  create,  but  which  we  may  do  so  much  to  promote 
or  conserve  with  their  help. 

DEWLROSE  GARDEN 

i — I 


FIG.     393. 

The  situation  is,  however,  unique  in  another  way,  for  the  windows  of  the  mansion 
overlook  such  a  stretch  of  typical  English  rural  scenery  as  not  one  in  ten  such  places 
can  boast.  As  will  be  gathered  from  the  plan  and  illustrations,  the  ground  slopes  away 
sharply  from  the  main  garden  front  of  the  house  and,  from  the  terraces  which  this  has 
given  occasion  for,  one  looks  across  an  open  valley  to  rising  ground  beyond,  which  is 
beautifully  timbered,  and  right  and  left  along  great  vistas  of  valley  and  rolling  country. 

Such  sweeping  views  and  open  prospects,  while  they  are  worth  any  sacrifice,  naturally 
make  sheltered  parts  of  the  garden  more  difficult  to  obtain,  and  so,  in  a  case  like  this, 
we  have  a  dual  task  :  to  make  the  most  of  the  open  views  and  falling  ground,  and  at 
the  same  time  to  prevent  bareness  and  give  gardens  which  shall  be  acceptable  in  all 
weathers.  How  this  has  been  done  will  be  seen  on  examining  the  plan  in  detail. 

The  original  approach  was  from  Dunchurch,  as  marked  near  the  top  left-hand  corner 
of  the  plan,  but,  since  the  entrance  and  lodges  shown  were  built,  the  drive  has  been 
extended  towards  Rugby,  and  terminated  in  the  pair  of  estate  workmen's  cottages 
given  in  illustration  No.  25.  The  necessity  for  placing  the  main  facade  and  entrance 
arch  of  the  stables  on  the  drive,  and  the  contours  of  the  ground,  have  together  indicated 


345 


EXAMPLES     OF     GARDEN     DESIGN. 


\  \ 

FIG.  394.— THE  ROSE  GARDEN,  DUNCHURCH  LODGE,  NEAR  RUGBY. 


FIG-  395- — THE  SUNDIAL  COURT,  DUNCHURCH  LODGE,  NEAR  RUGBY. 


346 


EXAMPLES     OF     GARDEN     DESIGN. 

rather  an   unusual  treatment  for  the   main  drive.      As  will  be  seen  from  the   plan,    it   has     A  new 
been  constructed  in  the  form  of  a  straight  and  severely  symmetrical  double  avenue  between     country 
the    entrance   gates    and    the    open    space   in   front   of  the   stable  block,   and  from  there  it 
follows  the  contours  of  the  ground  in  a  boldly  sweeping  curve,  the  point  where  the  change 
is  made  being  marked  by  a  gateway.      As  before  stated,  it  is  only  the  exceptional  nature 
of    the    contours    which    makes    such  an    arrangement   possible.      The   ground   between   the 
entrance   and   the   stable   block   is   perfectly   flat,    and   a   sudden    dip,    at    the    point    where 
the  gate  divides  this  part   of   the  approach   from   the  curved  portion,   prevents  the   whole 
being    seen    at    once,    and   so   insures   that   the   two   styles   shall   not   clash   in    any   way. 

As  will  be  seen,  the  circular  carriage  turn  is  treated  in  a  strictly  architectural  manner, 
with  surrounding  walls  and  handsome  wrought-iron  gates  symmetrically  placed,  one  pair 
giving  access  to  the  drive  and  the  other  to  the  pleasure  grounds.  Between  the  two  is  a 
narrower  gateway  on  the  axial  line  of  the  carriage  court  and  the  porte-cochere,  through 
which  the  eye  is  led  along  a  green  path  between  an  avenue  of  trees  to  a  summer-house, 
with  a  small  lily-pond  in  front,  and  this  in  turn  is  backed  up  by  a  group  of  well-grown 
timber  trees,  which  were  already  on  the  ground  when  the  gardens  were  designed,  as  were 
a  number  of  the  other  trees  shown  on  the  plan  at  either  side  of  the  drive. 

Passing  from  the  carriage  court  through  the  wrought-iron  gate  connecting  with  the 
pleasure  grounds,  we  come  immediately  into  the  small  octagonal  paved  sun-dial  court 
shown  in  illustration  No.  395,  which  connects  with  the  paved  upper  terrace  and  forward 
to  the  paved  rose  garden  and  lily-pond  court,  and  thus  a  considerable  stretch  of  paved 
promenade  of  varied  interest  is  obtained,  which  will  be  available  when  other  parts  of 
the  grounds  are  too  sodden  for  comfortable  exercise. 

A  good  idea  of  the  appearance  of  the  main  front  of  the  house  is  given  by  illustration 
No.  371,  which  faces  the  commencement  to  Chapter  XX.,  especially  if  examined  together 
with  the  plan  of  the  grounds.  As  will  be  seen,  the  point  of  view  is  from  the  extreme 
end  of  the  grass  walk  to  the  West  of  the  tennis  lawn,  which  gives  the  lowest  of  the 
three  terrace  levels  its  special  purpose  in  the  scheme.  All  three  terraces  are  contrived 
with  a  view  to  giving  the  main  fagade  of  the  house  the  strong  broad  base  which  both 
its  setting  and  its  architecture  demand,  and  the  long  grass  walks  between  herbaceous 
borders  which  flank  the  lowest  on  either  side  emphasize  this  in  a  marked  manner.  The 
strongly  marked  cross  lines  thus  created  again  demand  complementary  treatment,  which 
is  obtained  by  emphasizing  the  axial  line  through  the  centre  of  the  building  and  the 
flights  of  steps  connecting  the  terraces,  by  means  of  the  lily-pond,  summer-house  and 
water  steps  placed  at  a  little  distance  at  the  foot  of  the  sloping  lawn,  which  recedes 
from  the  lowest  terrace.  This  summer-house  closes  the  garden  vista  in  this  direction, 
and  thus  all  the  features  of  this  side  of  the  house  are  given  connection  and  welded  into 
a  complete  and  self-contained  scheme. 

On  the  West  side  of  the  mansion  are  two  features  specially  deserving  of  notice. 
The  first  is  the  rose  garden,  of  which  an  enlarged  plan  is  given  (111.  No.  393),  and  which 
is  also  shown  in  the  photographic  view  in  illustration  No.  394,  though  a  little  of  the 
effect  is  left  to  the  imagination  as  the  newly  planted  yew  hedges  will  have  such  a  very 
different  appearance  when  grown  and  trimmed  to  a  straight  line.  It  is  of  these  two 
gardens  we  spoke  when  referring  to  the  need  of  shelter  in  a  domain  newly  formed  on 
ground  commanding  extensive  views.  When  the  hedges  are  grown,  they,  together  with 
the  fruit  walls  on  the  North,  and  the  house  to  the  East,  will  make  them  delightful  for 
use  in  the  early  and  late  Summer  when  the  terrace  garden  and  open  lawns  on  the 
South  front  of  the  house  are  too  exposed  to  cutting  winds  for  comfort.  The  pond  garden 
has  quite  a  cloistral  appearance,  enclosed  as  it  is  by  walls  or  buildings  on  three  sides, 
with  its  severely  plain  treatment,  its  rippling  water,  and  the  little  terrace,  while  the  vista 
down  the  bowling  alley  prevents  any  suggestion  of  its  being  too  shut  in. 

347 


EXAMPLES     OF     GARDEN     DESIGN. 


JIB 


FIG.     396. — THE     MAIN     TERRACE,     DUNCHURCH     LODGE,     RUGBY. 


FIG-     397-— THE     CROQUET     LAWN     AND     DOOR     TO     KITCHEN     GARDEN,     DUNCHURCH     LODGE. 

348 


EXAMPLES     OF     GARDEN     DESIGN. 

To  the  North  and  North-east  of  the  house  we  have  the  kitchen  garden,  frame  A  new 
ground,  orchard  and  paddock.  The  first  of  these  is  shown  in  illustrations  Nos.  295  and  country 
314  ;  and  here,  with  the  inspiriting  help  of  a  sympathetic  client,  I  have  tried  to  materialize  seat- 
all  those  ideas  which  have  been  so  strongly  insisted  on  in  the  Chapter  dealing  with 
kitchen  gardens,  by  making  it  one  of  the  most  attractive  parts  of  the  domain  without  in 
the  least  impairing  its  usefulness.  The  main  path  of  the  garden  is  shown  in  illustration 
No.  295,  facing  the  opening  to  Chapter  XV.,  and  strikes  the  keynote  of  the  design. 
While  nothing  is  introduced  which  has  not  a  directly  obvious  utilitarian  purpose,  every 
effort  has  been  made  to  give  each  feature  interest  by  the  use  of  suitable  material 
and  correct  proportion  and  balancing  of  parts.  Thus  the  little  range  of  glass-houses 
against  the  North  wall  of  the  garden  is  made  additionally  attractive  by  the  symmetrically- 
designed  gardener's  office  at  one  end,  and  fruit  store  at  the  other,  the  former  being  clearly 
seen  at  the  end  of  the  walk  in  illustration  No.  295,  and  the  latter  in  illustration  No.  314. 
These  have  been  built  of  a  purple-brown  brick  and  oak  wood-work,  which,  while  they 
strike  a  local  note,  are  just  the  right  colour  to  form  the  best  possible  background  to  the 
green  foliage  and  pale  pink  and  white  blossom  of  the  fruit  trees  ;  and  the  same  material 
is  seen  in  the  fruit  walls,  which  have  a  quaint  coping  of  flat  and  half-round  tiles. 

GARDENS    TO    AN    ANCESTRAL    DOMAIN. 

Graythwaite  Hall,  which  is  situated  in  one  of  the  valleys  which  border  the  Western 
shores  of  Windermere,  has  been  the  seat  of  the  illustrious  and  historical  family  of  the 
Sandys  since  the  middle  of  the  fifteenth  century,  and  even  for  hundreds  of  years  pre- 
viously they  held  estates  in  West  Cumberland  which  adjoins  this  part  of  Lancashire. 
In  fact,  the  history  of  the  family  has  practically  been  bound  up  with  the  district  from 
the  time  of  King  John  to  the  present  day.  My  client  thus  brought  with  him  a  full 
sympathy  with  the  traditions  of  his  ancestors  ;  and  has  with  characteristic  energy 
remodelled  the  Hall  in  a  style  that  is  expressive  of  its  history,  and  yet  can  keep  rank 
with  the  present,  and  has  had  every  part  <5f  the  estate  equipped  in  this  spirit. 

To  realize  what  has  been  done,  it  is  necessary  to  understand  the  general  arrange- 
ments of  the  house,  stables,  and  gardens  prior  to  the  scheme  of  improvement  being 
taken  in  hand.  In  the  first  place  there  was  only  one  entrance  to  the  grounds,  which  was 
used  for  all  purposes,  the  position  being  near  the  group  of  shrubs  marked  10  on  the  plan, 
a  small  postern  gate,  not  shown,  occupying  the  position  of  the  old  entrance,  now  serves 
as  a  private  way  to  the  kitchen  garden.  Between  this  entrance  and  the  position  where 
the  two  drives  join,  there  was  a  rise,  and  from  this  to  the  main  entrance  portico  a  very 
steep  decline.  There  was  no  terrace  of  any  kind,  but  masses  of  overgrown  trees  and 
shrubs  surrounded  the  house  on  every  side.  The  ground,  now  converted  into  a  formal 
garden,  and  which  is  about  sixteen  feet  higher  than  the  carriage  court,  was  the  site  of 
the  old  stables  ;  this  high  ground  came  right  up  to  the  house.  To  the  North  and 
opposite  the  recreation  room  are  a  row  of  large  limes,  whilst  to  the  North-west  corner 
of  the  house,  the  ground  rises  in  a  mound  ascended  by  a  winding  walk. 

The  ground  to  the  South-west,  or  from  the  front  of  the  house,  falls  in  the  direction 
of  the  little  bridge,  but,  owing  to  the  large  number  of  trees  and  shrubs,  very  little  of 
this  was  seen — in  fact  there  was  not  a  single  open  view  in  any  direction,  the  Hall  being 
completely  shut  in. 

The  following  description,  which  appeared  in  the  "  Gardeners'  Chronicle  "  of  Nov. 
29th,  1896,  gives  a  fair  idea  of  the  gardens  as  altered  at  that  date. 

'  The  design  for  these  grounds,  which  are  entirely  new,  is  arranged  so  as  to  obtain 
"  as  much  of  the  picturesque  as  possible,  and  at  the  same  time  to  involve  but  little 
"  extra  labour  in  maintenance.  The  site,  which  is  of  a  very  undulating  character,  lies 
"  on  bluestone  rock,  which  makes  excavation  very  expensive.  Generally  speaking,  it 

349 


EXAMPLES     OF     GARDEN     DESIGN. 


FIG.     398. 

350 


EXAMPLES     OF    GARDEN     DESIGN. 

"  falls  to  the  West,   and  rises  to  the  North-east  and  South-east,   the  mansion  being  placed    An 

"  towards  the  North-east    end   of   the  pleasure    ground.       As    the  ground   falls   towards  it    ancestral 

"  from  the  East  and  South  and    North,    and  falls  from   the  house  towards  the  West,    its    <*omaitt. 

"  position    as    regards    the    main   roads  would    be  thought  by    some  persons  to  be  rather 

"  unfortunate,     as    the    drive    traverses    a    descent   in    approaching   the    Hall,    which   gives 

"it    a    sunk    appearance.       This     low-lying     effect    has    now    been    removed     by     sinking 

"  the   drive   in    one   part   of   its   course,    by  removing   a   large  portion  of  the  hill  between 

"  the    plantations   numbered   10    and   12,    by    making    the    main    entrance    court    to    run 

"  level  from  the  colonnade  to  a  width  of  60  feet,  supporting  it  by  a  balustraded  terrace 

"  wall,    by   forming   a   terrace   on   the   North   and  West   fronts    and    sinking    these    some- 

"  what   so   as  to   give   greater  elevation   to  the   house.       A  part  of  this  work  has   already 

"  been  done,  and  gives  the  desired  effect.      Although  situated  in  a  beautiful  district  and 

"  forming   part   of   a   charming   estate,    there   were,   owing  to   the   whole   of   the   park   and 

"  grounds  being  surrounded  by  a  belt  of  oaks  about  a  hundred  years  old,  practically  no 

"  views  into  the  park  or  of  the  distant  landscape.       By  felling  a  number  of  these  oaks, 

"  they   have   been   broken   up   into   groups,   and  by   this   means   many   very   fine   views   of 

"  the  surrounding  country  are  obtained.      The  crest  of  the  hill   which  rises  on  the  West 

"  side  of  the  stream  has  also  been  cut  through,  and  a  view  opened  up  across  the  park. 

"  By  the  removal  of  some  cowsheds,  barns,  and  a  smithy,  a  very  fine  view,  terminating 

"  in  a  rocky  hill  planted  with  Scotch  Firs,  has  been  opened  up  and  is  now  seen  from  the 

"  walk   which   leads   alongside   the   stream   flowing  through   the  park.       By   its   margin  it 

"  is  intended   to   naturalise   daffodils,  spiraeas  of  sorts,   iris,  Japanese  anemone,  and  other 

"  hardy   free-flowering   plants. 

"  The  stables,  which  at  present  occupy  a  position  near  the  house,  are  to  be  removed 
"  and  a  spacious  new  block  built  on  ground  convenient  to  the  dwelling — in  the  position 
"  shown  on  the  plan.  A  walled-in  kitchen  garden  of  about  one  and  a  half  acres,  with 
"  an  excellent  gardeners'  cottage,  and  a  range  of  glass,  have  already  been  erected  on  the 
"  South-east  of  the  mansion.  A  number  of  old  trees  were  found  on  the  ground,  most 
"  of  which  have  been  taken  advantage  of,  and  others  have  been  transplanted  to  their 
"  present  stations  in  the  park  and  elsewhere.  Conifers  have  been  largely  planted  for 
"  shelter,  and  large  quantities  of  the  choicer  rhododendrons,  azaleas,  and  acers  added  to 
"  ensure  variety  and  brilliancy  of  colour  during  the  season." 

Since  the  foregoing  article  appeared  much  has  been  done  in  many  directions  still 
further  to  improve  the  gardens.  In  the  first  place,  the  old  stables  have  been  removed 
and  the  site  converted  into  a  formal  garden,  the  old  bark  barn  at  the  end  being  remodelled 
and  made  into  a  recreation  room.  The  ground  has  also  at  great  expense  been  excavated 
from  the  end  of  the  house,  which  has  resulted  in  a  great  improvement.  A  drive  con- 
nects the  front  carriage  turn  with  the  side  entrance  court,  and  is  spanned  by  an  arch 
designed  by  the  late  Mr.  R.  Knill  Freeman,  F.R.I.B.A.,  which  leads  to  the  formal  garden 
on  the  site  of  the  old  stables,  and  is  shown  in  illustration  No.  400.  The  proprietor's 
love  of  choice  flowering  plants  has  resulted  in  a  fine  collection  of  hardy  perennials 
and  flowering  shrubs,  which  is  increasing  annually.  The  rustic  bridge  which  spanned 
the  little  stream  has  been  supplanted  by  the  oak  bridge  shown  in  illustration  No.  189, 
a  sundial  has  also  been  designed  to  stand  on  the  terrace  ;  and  suitable  garden  furniture 
has  been  introduced. 

As  rock  abounds  everywhere  within  a  few  feet  of  the  surface,  terrace  formation,  as 
generally  understood,  was  almost  impossible.  The  plan  as  illustrated  therefore  represents 
the  design  as  fitted  to  the  existing  contours,  even  the  terrace  levels  being  controlled  by 
existing  conditions.  Whatever  exceptions  may  be  taken  to  certain  portions  of  the 
reconstruction,  it  may  be  said  that  the  luxuriant  way  in  which  everything  grows  renders 
the  garden  at  all  times  interesting. 

35i 


EXAMPLES     OF     GARDEN     DESIGN. 


GARDENS  j  GRAYmmiTE 
HALL  », WJDERMERE  D 

MP 


EXAMPLES     OF     GARDEN     DESIGN. 


The   following   is   a    key   to   the   letters    and   figures   on    the   plan  :- 


A.  Seat  on  mound. 

B.  Flight  of  steps  with  seats  at   head. 

C.  Lead  figure  on  stone  base    (the   two 

stars  represent  old   yews). 

D.  Sundial. 

E.  Luggage  entrance  and  court. 


F.  Gateway  in  arched  opening. 

G.  Recreation  room. 
H.  Carriage  court. 

I.  Rhododendrons  by  side  of  waterfall. 

J.  Garden  house. 

K.  Bridge.     (See  111.  No.   189). 


— WK) 

.rH=^      ^ 

i&Uz^-sM   -" 


GATEWAY  AND  STEPS  TO  FORECOURT. 

>    >>^-^ 


1.  Three  plantations  composed  princi- 

pally of  choice  hybrid  rhodo- 
dendrons. 

2.  Azaleas  and  Rhododendrons  on 

sloping  bank. 


FIG.    400. 

13- 
14- 
15- 

16. 


An 

ancestral 
domain. 


3.  Groups  of  deciduous  flowering  shrubs.  17. 

4.  Rhododendron  Wilsonii  and  18. 

Mezerions.  19. 
5,  6.  Blue  Cedars  (C.  atlantica  glauca),  with 

groups    of    Pernettyas    and    Vacci-  20. 

niums  on  the  grass.  21. 

7.  Large  groups  of  choice  Pernettyas  22. 

round  base  of  rock.  23. 

8.  Spanish  Gorse.  24. 

9.  Cream  Broom. 

10.  Hybrid  Rhododendrons.  25. 

11.  A  cutting  between  two  rock  banks  26. 

planted  with  rock  plants  and  ferns.  27. 

12.  Double  Gorse. 


Collection  of  American  plants. 

A  large  old  Azalea. 

Pernettyas,  Spiraeas,  Mezerions  and  other 

shrubs. 

Hardy  heaths  planted  on  rock  bank. 
Collection  of  choice  Pines. 
Rhododendron  caucasicum  album. 
Large    group    of    old    Ponticum    Rhodo- 
dendrons. 

Group  of  Prunus  Pissardii. 
Mahonia  and  other  shade-loving  plants. 
Irish  heaths. 
Group  of  rock  shrubs. 
Mahonia,     Gaultheria,    Skimmia    and 

other    deciduous     flowering     shrubs. 
Rhododendron  and  Ghent  Azaleas. 
Three  pigmy    Pines. 

Collection  of  Hollies  and  standard  flower- 
ing shrubs. 


353 


EXAMPLES     OF    GARDEN     DESIGN. 

An  Nearly  twenty  years  ago,  when  first  consulted  by  Colonel  Sandys,  I  regretted  that 

ancestral  his  predecessor  had  removed  the  entrance  from  the  old  court  marked  E  on  the  plan, 
domain.  illustration  No.  399,  to  the  South-west  front,  which  1  considered  it  was  highly  desirable 

should  be  retained  as  the  main  garden  front.  It  was,  however,  too  late  to  make  further 
alterations  to  the  house,  but  the  prospect  of  certain  additions  to  the  Hall  has  reopened 
the  question,  and  now  plans  have  been  prepared  which  not  only  restore  the  old  carriage 
court  to  its  former  place,  but  permit  of  a  fine  drive  to  the  North  entrance,  with  gatehouses 
and  avenue  approach,  and  an  improved  terrace  scheme  on  the  garden  front.  These 
improvements  are  shown  on  illustration  No.  41.  It  should  be  noted  that  the  stables 
are  on  a  higher  level  than  is  the  avenue,  and  therefore  the  old  drive  to  the  East 
entrance  is  still  to  be  used  as  the  stable  approach. 

The  old  carriage  court  on  the  South  front  is  now  laid  out  as  a  paved  flower  court, 
with  broad  steps  sweeping  down  to  the  lower  lawn,  and,  to  give  additional  interest  to 
the  undulating  lawn,  a  sundial  is  placed  in  a  line  central  with  the  colonnade. 

Although  this  later  development  may  seem  sweeping  and  extensive,  it  is  a  fact  that 
very  little  of  the  work  already  done  will  have  to  be  undone.  All  the  drives  are  still 
used  excepting  from  the  point  marked  n  on  illustration  No.  399  to  the  house,  which 
is  to  be  narrowed  to  the  width  of  a  path  ;  and  the  only  alteration  to  the  terrace  walls 
is  the  insertion  of  two  extra'  flights  of  steps.  The  undulating  lawns  and  shrubberies  are 
untouched,  and  about  two-thirds  of  the  Dutch  garden  is  retained. 

Several  schemes  have  been  prepared  by  the  architect  for  the  additions  to  the  Hall, 
yet  all  allow  of  the  general  arrangement  indicated  on  this  plan  ;  but  as  the  building, 
which  combines  recreation-rooms  with  the  estate-offices,  as  recently  remodelled,  is  so 
successful,  it  was  suggested  that  another  building  of  similar  design,  placed  to  balance 
it  at  a  similar  angle,  would  give  a  dignified  and  inviting  approach  to  the  court. 

This  new  drive  will  give  the  mansion  its  proper  connection  with  the  estate,  and 
fittingly  form  the  principal  approach  to  the  house.  The  estate  extends  very  little  beyond 
the  boundary  of  the  pleasure  grounds  on  the  South  side,  yet  stretches  for  miles  in  a 
North-easterly  direction,  taking  in  the  whole  of  Esthwaite  lake,  and  including  most 
of  the  land  on  its  Western  shore,  right  up  to  the  village  of  Hawkshead,  where  the  church 
has  from  time  immemorial  been  connected  with  the  Sandys  family. 

A    LAKE    DISTRICT    GARDEN. 

The  plan  of  this  garden  is  introduced  as  typical  of  those  cases  in  which  local 
conditions  and  the  exceptional  contours  of  the  site  very  largely  predetermine  the  dis- 
position of  the  various  features.  It  is  situated  on  high  ground  not  far  from  the  village 
of  Windermere,  and,  as  is  usual  in  that  district,  unique  and  magnificent  views  are  to  be 
obtained  in  a  Northerly  and  North-westerly  direction,  and  these  are  of  such  paramount 
importance  that  all  other  considerations  of  aspect  must  be  made  subservient  to  them. 
It  thus  comes  about  that  many  houses  in  the  district,  of  which  the  present  instance  is 
one,  are,  by  choice,  made  with  the  principal  windows  very  unusually  placed,  while  the 
carriage  approach  is  from  the  South  or  South-east,  thus  reversing  the  ordinary  arrange- 
ment. As  a  rule,  too,  the  more  rugged  and  uneven  the  site,  the  better  the  views,  as, 
by  placing  the  house  on  an  elevated  portion,  surrounding  obstacles  are  overcome,  and  a 
most  expansive  panoramic  outlook  obtained.  This  was  done  in  the  present  instance  so 
far  as  conveniently  possible,  and  the  ground  slopes  steeply  away  from  it  on  two  sides, 
as  will  be  seen  from  the  arrangement  of  terrace  walls  and  steps  shown  on  the  plan  and 
also  on  the  section.  Of  the  remaining  two  sides,  that  on  which  the  stables  stand,  was 
levelled  by  excavating  a  considerable  amount  of  material,  while  that  devoted  to  the  main 
approach,  though  it  has  a  strong  cross  slope,  allowed  of  the  drive  being  made  practically 
level  from  end  to  end  by  laying  it  down  in  the  strong  curves  shown. 

354 


EXAMPLES     OF     GARDEN     DESIGN. 

Such  pronounced  curves  as  these,  while  they  would  be  absurd  on  a  gently  undulating 
site,  are  perfectly  right,  and,  in  fact,  pleasing  when  the  reason  and  necessity  for  them 
are  so  apparent,  as  in  the  present  instance.  There  is  all  the  difference  in  the  world 
between  the  two  cases,  in  the  one  they  are  irritating,  while  in  the  other  they  emphasize 
the  most  marked  characteristic  of  the  site,  which  fact  alone  is  sufficient  justification  for 
their  employment. 

Along  the  top  of  the  plan  is  indicated  a  public  footpath  skirting  the  gardens.  This  is 
practically  level  for  the  distance  shown,  and  is  higher  than  any  portion  of  the  grounds 
themselves,  so  much  so  that  a  retaining  wall  with  strong  buttresses  was  necessary  to  the 
kitchen  garden,  and,  in  passing  along  it,  one  overlooks  the  roofs  of  the  stable  block. 
This  made  it  very  difficult  to  obtain  any  privacy,  which  has  nevertheless  been  quite 


FIG.     4OI. 

adequately  attained  by  planting  large  conifers  inside  the  fence.  The  general  slope  is 
from  this  fence  across  to  the  Western  corner  by  the  tennis  lawn,  the  situation  of  which 
was  dictated  by  a  slightly  less  steep  place  which  made  its  formation  possible. 

When  the  Writer  was  first  called  in  to  advise  on  the  reconstruction  of  the  garden 
some  eighteen  years  ago,  the  grounds  were  about  half  their  present  size,  all  that  portion 
North  of  a  line  connecting  the  northernmost  corner  of  the  tennis  lawn  with  the  potting 
shed  having  been  made  since.  The  kitchen  garden  occupied  the  piece  of  ground  between 
the  numbers  10  and  12  on  the  plan,  and  the  remainder  contained  few  suggestions  of 
ordered  design.  Since  the  accompanying  plan  was  prepared,  a  large  billiard-room  has 
been  built  to  the  North-east  of  the  carriage  turn,  somewhat  altering  its  character.  Large 
oaks  and  conifers  not  only  existed  in  the  garden  but  in  the  neighbouring  grounds,  and 
these  have  been  incorporated  in  the  new  plantations. 


A  Lake 
District 

garden. 


355 


EXAMPLES     OF     GARDEN     DESIGN. 


GARDENS  ./BALLIMOKE 
ARGYLL 


SCALE  or 


KEY 

Vvtom  TO-  KwTMouse 

POnD  FOR  WATERLILIti 
Cf/IRDCM    TfMPLC 
BAMBOO    OflRBth 
WttTtRERS    HOaiti 

TRirWECi  TO  JHflPl 
WHO    tiriRDEH 
CHOICE    RHObOOEr 

8  RHODODENDRON*  / 

9  COLLE.CTIOM  OF    IRlJ 

flflD   BOC    PLrtNT5 

10  ROCKiTtPi  ^R<WDTOC01T/1GE 

11  PRIVATE.  WJAD  70  jr/lBLE5 

12  rtlXEb    PLAT1WTIOM 


s>:  v!BV-*  -'^V^' 

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SECTION    ON  A.B 


FIG.    402. 
356 


EXAMPLES     OF     GARDEN     DESIGN. 

A    HIGHLAND    GARDEN. 

The  seat  of  Major  MacRae-Gilstrap  is  a  charming  domain  on  Loch  Fyne,  a  good  A  Highland 
view  of  the  mansion  being  obtained  from  the  steamers  to  and  from  Inveraray,  at  a  point  garden. 
near  the  Beacon  or  Otter,  the  new  pier  at  Otter  Ferry  being  on  the  estate.  This  pier 
is  now  the  principal  point  of  debarkation,  but  during  certain  months  of  the  year  the 
pier  at  Tighnabruaich  has  to  be  used,  and,  as  this  is  some  twelve  miles  distant,  it  was 
considered  advisable  (on  account  of  this  isolation)  to  make  the  mansion  and  grounds  in 
themselves  as  complete  and  interesting  as  possible.  At  the  time  I  was  called  in  to 
advise,  it  had  been  decided  to  add  considerably  to  the  main  building  and  to  bring  the 
old  portions,  which  possessed  little  architectural  merit,  into  character  with  the  new  work, 
additions  and  improvements  which  were  most  successfully  carried  out  by  W.  Lieper, 
Esq.,  R.S.A.,  of  Glasgow. 

Except  for  a  fine  walled-in  kitchen  garden,  the  main  carriage  drives  shown  on  the 
plan,  which  have  only  been  slightly  altered,  and  a  little  stretch  of  lawn  on  the  Eastern 
side  of  the  house,  it  could  not  be  said  that  "  grounds,"  in  the  usual  acceptance  of  the 
term,  existed.  The  idea  presented  by  the  site  was,  that  it  had  formerly  been  a  bluff  or 
hill  which  had  been  levelled  down  to  form  a  base  on  which  to  place  the  residence,  the 
material  excavated  being  thrown  over  the  edge  of  the  already  steep  embankment  leading 
down  to  the  stream,  which  latter,  as  it  then  was,  flowing  between  ugly,  irregular,  mortar 
built  walls,  could  not  be  said  to  be  a  natural  feature. 

The  estate  as  a  whole  is  splendidly  wooded,  especially  near  the  house,  where  certain 
ornamental  trees,  including  conifers  apparently  of  fifty  or  sixty  years'  growth,  are  dotted 
about  the  lawn,  the  positions  of  these  and  also  of  some  very  old  hollies  being  indicated 
on  the  plan.  Almost  all  the  hills  on  the  estate  are  planted,  and,  as  seen  from  the  man- 
sion, form  numerous  pleasing  glades  and  vistas,  and  the  ground  below  the  carriage  court 
falls  in  sloping  undulations  to  the  shore  of  the  Loch.  The  drive  to  the  right  of  the 
plan  is  used  as  an  approach  from  Tighnabruaich,  and  also  leads  by  a  branch  drive  to 
the  stables,  while  that  to  the  left  passes  for  about  a  mile  and  a  half  along  the  shore 
to  Otter  Ferry.  It  may  be  added  that  the  home-park,  which  of  course  is  divided 
into  a  series  of  fields  and  plantations  on  which  considerable  improvements  have  been 
effected,  extends  to  about  one  thousand  acres. 

These  conditions  have  had  a  marked  influence  on  the  arrangement  of  the  plan  of 
the  house.  Both  dining  and  drawing  rooms  have,  for  the  purpose  of  gaining  a  view 
of  the  loch,  a  window  overlooking  the  carriage  court,  while  the  principal  window  of  the 
drawing-room  overlooks  the  terraces.  The  large  hall  is  lighted  by  the  mullioned  bay 
window  shown  on  the  section  at  the  foot  of  the  plan  (111.  No.  402),  the  billiard  and 
smoke  rooms  being  in  the  tower  ;  both  the  hall  and  billiard-room  overlook  the  sundial 
garden  and  the  summer-house  walk. 

The  plan  just  referred  to  does  not  however  include  the  whole  of  the  pleasure 
grounds,  as  to  have  done  so  would  have  reduced  the  details  too  minutely.  It  may 
however  be  noted  that,  amongst  other  things,  a  fine  cricket  crease  has  been  laid  down, 
and  that,  adjoining  the  grounds,  there  is  a  cottage,  which  in  Scotland  is  generally  known 
as  the  Dower  house.  This  has  its  own  gardens,  and  also  a  separate  drive  leading  to  it, 
all  laid  out  from  the  writer's  designs. 

In  execution,  the  plan  has  been  modified  in  one  or  two  details,  such  as  by  the 
omission  of  the  bridge  across  the  ravine,  and  a  slight  alteration  to  the  terraces.  It 
will  be  noticed  that  the  scheme  as  a  whole  includes  almost  every  type  of  garden  plan- 
ning, from  the  formal  terraces  to  the  freest  possible  treatment  of  the  stream  (111.  No.  404). 
Perhaps  the  most  noticeable  features  are  the  long  straight  lines  of  walk,  especially  the  one 
leading  to  the  summer-house,  and  in  the  opposite  direction  the  one  which  is  carried  over 
the  bridge  and  on  to  the  opposite  side  of  the  valley.  There  are  also  the  long  terrace  walls, 

357 


EXAMPLES     OF     GARDEN     DESIGN. 


FIG.    403.— BALLIMORE.      VIEW    FROM    CARRIAGE    COURT    OVER    THE    PANEL   GARDEN. 


FIG.    404. — BALLIMORE        ARTIFICIAL    ROCKWORK    IN    THE    STREAM. 


358 


EXAMPLES    OF    GARDEN     DESIGN. 

the   intention   being   to   lay  out    certain    prominent   lines  which   would    grip  the  landscape,     A  Highland 
and   give  a  feeling  of   connection   between   the   mansion,    garden,    and    park,    the   summer-    garden. 
house   and   small   temple   marking   the   end   of   this   formal    treatment.       This  severe   style, 
while   adding   to   the   effect   of   the   mansion,   in  no  way  detracts  from   the   purely   natural 
treatment  of  the  stream,  each  being  helped  by  the  sharp  contrast.      As  will  be  seen  from 
the   photographs,  the  terrace  walls   are  solid,   that    is   to   say,    there   is   no   balustrade  and 
the  walls  are  built  of  the  local  ragstone,  the  dressed  work  being  confined   to  pillars,  string, 
coping  and  finials,   thus  allowing  the  planting  of  a  large  variety  of   climbers,   which   adds 
so    much   to   their  charm. 

The  freer  or  winding  walks  are  very  little  seen  from  the  formal  part  of  the  garden, 
and  pleasantly  mark  the  rise,  fall,  and  general  contour  of  the  ground.  There  was  a 
very  important  stipulation  in  their  arrangement — -viz.,  that  a  series  of  pleasant  walks 
should  be  provided  over  which  a  bath-chair  could  be  wheeled,  without  steps  or  obstacles, 
a  point  which  should  oftener  be  considered  when  laying  out  gardens  on  a  broad  scale. 

The  stream  has  been  a  somewhat  extensive  piece  of  work,  in  connection  with  which 
the  skill  of  Mr.  Pulham  has  been  called  into  requisition.  A  part  of  this  work,  with  the 
little  bridge  marked  9  on  the  plan,  is  shown  in  illustration  No.  261.  In  improving 
this  stream  there  were  two  considerations  of  a  practical  nature  which  had  to  be  kept 
in  view  :  the  first  being  to  make  the  banks  safe  against  spates  or  floods,  and  the  second 
to  construct  a  series  of  pools  for  fish  to  sport  in.  As  already  stated,  the  sides  of  the 
stream  were  previously  supported  by  rough  irregularly  built  walls,  the  bottom  of  the 
stream  being  rough  shaly  rock,  and  the  improvements  were  effected  by  removing  the 
walls  and  excavating  a  part  of  the  rock,  and  by  adding  new  strata,  as  shown  in  the 
illustration  just  referred  to,  the  result  being  much  more  in  harmony  with  the  surroundings 
than  the  conduit  which  formerly  existed. 

Ballimore  is  an  ideal  place  for  the  formation  of  an  arboricultural  or  botanical  collec- 
tion, a  fact  that  has  been  recognised  and  pursued  to  full  advantage  by  its  owner,  whose 
collection  of  ornamental  trees  and  flowering  plants  bids  fair  to  equal  that  of  any  other 
client  by  whom  the  writer  has  been  retained.  The  beds  and  borders  on  the  terrace 
are  planted  with  a  choice  collection  of  hardy  perennials,  florist's  flowers  and  roses.  The 
walls  are  clothed  with  honeysuckles,  clematis,  climbing  roses,  wistarias,  vitis  coignetiae, 
magnolias,  and  other  hardy  climbers.  In  the  quiet  pools  there  are  choice  nympheae 
and  other  aquatics  ;  along  the  margins  of  the  stream  are  bog  plants  such  as  iris,  caltha, 
and  spiraea,  and  also  large  quantities  of  the  choicer  daffodils  and  other  tubers,  all  of 
which  give  promise  of  becoming  naturalised  and  increasing.  The  terrace  borders  are 
planted  entirely  with  hardy  perennials,  and  roses.  The  remaining  portions  of  the 
scheme  are  explained  by  the  numbers  and  key  on  the  plan. 

GARDENS    ON    A    FLAT    SITE. 

Little  Onn  Hall  is  situated  about  eight  miles  from  Stafford,  and  three  miles  from  the 
village  of  Gnosall,  which  is  the  nearest  railway  station.  The  present  mansion  has 
recently  undergone  considerable  alterations  and  additions,  a  new  entrance  hall  and  billiard- 
room  having  been  added,  and  other  portions  of  the  house  remodelled.  The  older  por- 
tions of  the  hall,  built  about  25  years  ago,  did  not  possess  any  very  great  architectural 
merit,  but  the  present  completed  building,  which  is  in  stone,  has  considerable  character ; 
the  numerous  gables,  each  furnished  with  crowfeet  or  corbie  steps,  the  stone  mullioned 
windows,  and  the  large  climber-covered  wall-space,  making  a  very  pleasing  centre  round 
which  to  form  a  garden. 

The  house  covers  a  somewhat  large  area,  the  billiard-room,  hall,  and  one  end  of  the 
drawing-room  facing  West,  the  drawing-room  and  dining-room  having  one  side  to  the 
South  ;  the  latter  room  and  also  the  library  being  lighted  principally  from  the  East 

359 


EXAMPLES     OF    GARDEN     DESIGN 


LAY-OUT  OF  GARDENS  AT 
LITTLE   ONN  HALL 
STAFFORDSHIRE 


i  LATEVINERY.  o. POTTING  Srieo. 

i.PAur\  HOUSE,  f.  YARD. 

i.  EARLY  VINERY.  8. PEACH  Mouse, 

•f.  PLANT-HOUSE.  9.  HEATED  FRAME. 

J.  FERNERY.  10    CARDENtffS    COTTAOt 


ThOMAi  •  H- 
LANCASTER  6    LONDON 


FIG.     405. 


360 


\ 


EXAMPLES     OF     GARDEN     DESIGN. 


From  this  it  will  be  seen  that  the  entertaining  rooms  and  hall  occupy  three  sides  of 
the  house.  The  site  upon  which  the  whole  has  been  erected,  and  for  a  considerable 
distance  round  it,  is  practically  flat  ;  but  the  ground  floor  of  the  house  had  been  very 
wisely  raised  some  four  feet  above  the  general  level,  thus  allowing  of  a  terrace  which  is 
carried  round  the  South  and  East  fronts.  In  addition  to  the  four  feet  gained  by  rais- 
ing the  mansion,  the  ground  falls  about  five  feet  to  both  West  and  East  ;  the  level 
of  the  kitchen  gardens  and  of  the  lower  step  into  the  rose  garden  being  almost  the  same. 
On  account  of  this  rise  in  floor  level,  and  of  the  fall  to  the  park  and  kitchen  garden, 
the  Hall  looks  much  more  elevated  than  it  did  before  the  commencement  of  these  im- 
provements. To  gain  a  clear  idea  of  this  change  of  level,  two  sections  are  here  given  ; 
section  A.B.  showing  the  terrace  to  the  South,  the  drive  and  the  rose  garden,  and 
section  C.D.  the  terraces  and  flower  garden  to  the  East  side  of  house. 

Only  two  portions  of  the  present  scheme  existed  prior  to  my  being  consulted. 
These  are  the  kitchen  garden,  and  the  moat  or  pond,  both  of  which,  as  shown  on  the 
plan,  are  slightly  altered.  The  moat  seems  at  one  time  to  have  surrounded  monastic  or 


Gardens  on 
a  flat  site, 


FIG.    406. — SECTIONS     THROUGH     GROUNDS     AT     LITTLE   ONN     HALL. 

other  important  buildings,  and  to  have  been  stocked  with  fish.  The  old  fish  stews, 
divided  into  five  compartments,  still  remain,  and  are  being  carefully  preserved. 

Before  this  work  was  carried  out,  the  house  had  the  appearance  of  growing  out  of 
the  ground,  without  any  architectural  supports  or  base.  In  a  hilly  and  rocky  country, 
this  may  occasionally  be  a  proper  way  for  it  to  be  arranged,  especially  when  it  reposes 
on  a  cliff  or  rocks  ;  but  in  a  level  country  the  arrangement  is  apt  to  give  the  building 
a  depressed  appearance,  and  suggest  dampness. 

It  will  thus  be  seen  that  in  designing  these  gardens,  the  improvements  to  be  aimed 
at  were,  first,  and  most  important,  to  give  elevation  and  base  to  the  house,  secured,  as 
has  been  suggested,  by  an  arrangement  of  terraces  ;  secondly,  to  impart  plenty  of  colour, 
which  is  provided  by  the  rose  gardens,  flower  gardens,  and  borders  arranged  for  herba- 
ceous flowering  plants  ;  finally,  to  unite  the  old  kitchen  garden  and  moat  with  the  other 
portion  of  the  pleasure  grounds.  The  total  area  remodelled,  including  the  kitchen 
garden,  is  eight  and  a  half  acres,  and  within  this  area  considerable  variety  has  been 
obtained,  while  the  compactness  of  the  gardens  allows  of  their  being  kept  in  good  order 
with  the  minimum  of  labour. 


361 


EXAMPLES     OF     GARDEN     DESIGN. 


FIG.     407. — ROSE     GARDEN,     LITTLE     ONN     HALL,     LOOKING    TOWARDS    THE     HOUSE. 


FIG.     408. — LITTLE     ONN     HALL,     VIEW     FROM     WALL     OF     CARRIAGE     COURT. 

'« 
362 


EXAMPLES     OF    GARDEN     DESIGN. 

In  the  park  there  are  a  number  of  fine  old  trees,  mostly  oak,  elm,  and  sycamore,  Gardens  on 
which  were  incorporated  in  the  plan  of  the  park  plantations  shown  in  illustration  No.  350  ;  a  flat  s^e- 
also  good  young  timber  plantations  between  the  North  end  of  the  house  and  the  stables, 
and  a  fine  belt  of  beech  of  about  40  years'  growth  in  the  plantation  near  the  moat, 
between  the  tennis  lawn  and  the  public  highway,  extending  in  width  from  the  fence 
shown  on  the  plan  to  the  edge  of  the  moat.  This  young  timber  had  been  much  injured 
by  a  number  of  spruce,  planted  evidently  as  nursers,  which  were  felled  and  replaced  with 
undergrowths,  consisting  of  rhododendrons, — especially  R.  caucasicum  album,  which  is  a 
capital  grower  in  shade — azaleas,  lilacs,  common  yews,  hollies  and  brambles,  with  large 
patches  of  St.  John's  wort,  periwinkle,  ground  ivy,  vaccineum  and  gaultheria.  Amongst 
these,  again,  are  naturalised  snowdrops,  daffodils,  wood  anemones,  wood  hyacinths, 
American  wood  lilies,  and  other  hardy  Spring  flowers,  while  on  the  margin  of  the  pond 
are  planted  Iris  kampferii,  Iris  florentina,  and  all  sorts  of  sub-aquatic  plants.  In  the 
pond  are  planted  a  fine  collection  of  water  lilies,  water  hawthorn,  nelumbiums,  &c. 

In  addition  to  the  yew  and  sweet  briar  hedges,  Irish  yews  were  arranged  on  the 
terrace,  and  also  golden  and  common  yews  clipped  into  shape,  mostly  as  squares  or 
pyramids.  The  rose  garden,  which  occupies  such  an  important  position  between  the 
carriage  court  and  the  park,  is  planted  with  old-fashioned  varieties,  such  as  the  York 
and  Lancaster,  the  old  blush,  China,  and  damask,  musk  and  Macartney,  all  planted  in 
masses  ;  and  on  the  walls  are  choice  tea  and  noisette  varieties,  which  are  all  growing 
freely. 

Some  of  the  details  are  indicated  on  the  sections,  and  these,  in  addition  to  those 
shown  in  the  photographs,  will  give  a  good  idea  of  the  effect  obtained  in  the  several 
parts  of  this  garden,  and  also  serve  to  show  the  importance  attached  to  architectural 
features  in  a  level  district  ;  this  being  one  of  those  places  which  could  not  have 
been  converted  into  a  satisfactory  garden  without  recourse  to  the  many  forms  of 
garden  architecture  that  are  here  introduced. 

A    GARDEN    IN    GRANITE. 

Although  only  completed  eighteen  months  before  it  was  photographed,  this  garden 
proves  the  soundness  of  certain  principles  already  several  times  insisted  upon,  namely  :— 
that  stone  walls,  of  which  some  garden  owners  seem  so  afraid,  may  present  great  oppor- 
tunities for  garden  effects,  and  that  local  materials  and  building  methods  should  invariably 
be  adopted  wherever  possible  ;  also  that  much  ornamental  detail  is  generally  unnecessary, 
while  such  as  is  allowable  should  express  as  simply  as  possible  the  character  of  the 
constructive  material.  This  West-country  garden  is  situated  in  a  district  abounding  in  a 
rough-grained  granite,  found  lying  on  the  surface  of  the  surrounding  moors  and  woods, 
and  always  beautifully  weathered  on  the  exposed  face.  The  stone  splits  well  but  is 
not  adapted  to  fine  dressing  or  small  moulds,  yet  is  most  effective  in  squared  blocks  or 
columns,  with  walls  built  in  rough  rubble.  Instead  of  classic  nosing  to  the  steps,  for 
instance,  the  undershadow  is  obtained  by  a  roughly  picked  splay  rounded  over  to  the 
face  of  the  tread,  which  are  set  in  random  lengths  laid  on  a  solid  rubble  core. 

In  the  wall  garden  which  figures  in  the  end  papers  to  the  book,  no  dressing  beyond 
rough  scabbling  was  attempted,  the  crannies  being  filled  with  rock  plants.  The  success 
of  this  work  has  inclined  me  still  more  towards  simple  retaining  walls  in  preference  to 
expensive  pierced  work  and  balustrades,  which,  though  necessary  to  mansions  designed 
in  the  grand  style,  are  not  essential  to  houses  of  moderate  dimensions  ;  and  the  money 
thus  saved  could  be  more  effectively  expended  upon  good  modern  sculpture. 

I  was  called  upon  to  advise  on  the  improvement  of  the  property,  about  eight 
years  ago,  before  any  serious  plans  had  been  made  for  the  house  or  its  setting  ;  the 
owner  having  decided  to  improve  the  existing  residence  and  to  lay  out  new  gardens, 

363 


EXAMPLES     OF     GARDEN     DESIGN. 


FlANyAWEST 
COINTRYU 


CARDED 


EXAMPLES     OF     GARDEN     DESIGN. 

which  were  to   incorporate   the  old  kitchen   garden   and  a  lake   formed  by  his  predecessor     Garden    in 
in   the   valley   below,    both   of   which   have   undergone   many  alterations  and   modifications     granite. 
to  bring  them  into   harmony  with   the  general  scheme.      Although   the  alterations  to  the 
mansion    were    so     drastic     that     it     might     with     more     truth     have     been    regarded    as 
having  been  rebuilt   than  altered,  the  retention  of    the  original  house  formed  part  of  the 
plans,    the   gardens    having    undergone     entire     reconstruction   on   a  scale   which   bears  no 
relationship  to  their  original  arrangement. 

The  first  radical  and  necessary  change  was  to  bring  the  main  entrance  to  the  house 
from  the  South  to  the  West,  thus  leaving  the  South  front  free  for  garden  developments, 
and  ensuring  that  the  delightful  prospect,  here  expanding  over  rounded  hills  bordering 
Dartmoor  and  the  famous  Doone  Glen,  be  viewed  across  stretches  of  restful  lawn,  un- 
broken by  drives  or  gravelled  spaces. 

The  plan  and  elevations  of  the  residence  were  developed  in  a  style  distinctly  homely, 
and  somewhat  symmetrically,  with  the  masses  agreeably  broken  by  pleasing  projections 
and  wings,  as  shown  by  the  accompanying  photographs,  the  architect  (the  late  Mr. 
Dan  Gibson),  whose  influence  is  also  traceable  in  one  or  two  of  the  garden  details,  being 
appointed  on  my  recommendation.  A  correspondingly  massive  and  homelike  effect  has 
been  sought  in  the  gardens,  nor  is  symmetry  wholly  absent. 

Owing  to  the  importance  of  the  work,  the  great  difference" in,  and  extreme  difficulty  of 
treating  the  levels,  the  large  number  of  buildings  set  at  all  angles,  and  the  necessity 
of  preserving  the  sparsely  distributed  timber  trees,  a  careful  survey,  with  a  complete 
grid  of  levels,  was  necessary.  On  this  plan  and  grid  of  levels  were  drawn  the  sections, 
and  the  preliminary  plans,  including  all  terraces  with  properly  defined  levels,  thus 
ensuring  a  feasible  and  workable  scheme  before  proceeding  to  working  drawings.  To 
obviate  expensive  excavation,  all  sweeping  changes  of  level  were  avoided. 

The  two  sections  show  that  on  the  West,  or  entrance  front  of  the  house,  the  ground 
rises  suddenly  some  15  feet  ;  this  decided  the  width  of  the  carriage  court,  which  is  as 
wide  as  the  ground  allows,  and  looks  much  wider  on  the  site  than  the  plan  suggests,  the 
central  flight  of  steps  leading  to  the  tennis  courts  broadening  the  effect  considerably. 
The  grass  terraces  and  tennis  courts  promise  to  be  the  most  charming  features  in  the 
garden,  but  cannot  be  presented  photographically  until  the  yew  hedges  have  had  two  years 
more  growth  ;  for  this  reason  a  detailed  description,  with  enlarged  plans  and  cross- 
section  of  this  part  of  the  garden,  are  necessary  to  give  an  idea  of  the  ultimate  effect. 
Being  on  the  West  of  the  house  and  considerably  above  it,  it  was  sought  to  keep  this 
part  of  the  scheme  quiet  and  restful.  There  are  therefore  no  flower  borders,  but  broad 
stretches  of  quiet  lawns  surrounded  by  grassy  slopes,  and  yew  hedges  to  be  cut  to  shape, 
while  at  right  angles  to  the  entrance,  and  in  a  line  with  the  steps  rising  with  the  natural 
level  of  the  ground,  stretches  a  wide  open  grass  glade  with  cedars  planted  at  either 
side,  the  end  of  the  glade  being  furnished  with  an  architectural  pavilion  or  tea  house. 

The  tennis  lawn  is  one  hundred  and  twenty  feet  square,  thus  giving  room  for  two 
creases  which  may  be  placed  either  way,  with  recessed  curves  for  seats  and  statuary 
figures  representing  the  Seasons.  On  the  West  of  the  tennis  lawn  is  a  wide  raised  grass 
terrace,  a  point  of  vantage  for  onlookers.  The  corner  recesses  make  corresponding 
bastions  on  the  outside,  and  therein  are  planted  Pyrus  Malus  floribunda,  which  grace  the 
picture  with  their  showers  of  small  apple-like  blossom  rising  above  the  sombre  green 
of  the  yew. 

North  of  the  tennis  lawn,  on  a  higher  level,  and  partially  screened  by  the  yew 
hedges,  is  a  pergola  with  rough  stone  columns  connected  with  the  garden  house,  which 
in  turn  communicates  with  the  upper  floor  of  the  mansion. 

The  stables  and  motor-house  are  on  the  North,  as  is  also  the  service  road  ;  but, 
as  tradesmen  generally  use  the  road  through  the  stable  yard  or  by  way  of  the  kitchen 

365 


EXAMPLES     OF     GARDEN     DESIGN. 


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366 


EXAMPLES     OF     GARDEN     DESIGN. 


FIG.    412. — TEA-HOUSE    AT    THE    END    OF    THE    GLADE,    WOOD,    DEVONSHIRE. 


•«*»«**       f 

*<«.«    1  .;.. 
FIG.       413. — THE      NORTH      GARDEN,      WOOD,      DEVONSHIRE. 

367 


EXAMPLES     OF    GARDEN     DESIGN. 

Garden  in       garden,    the   road   which   connects   to   the   carriage   court    through  the   gate-house    is    little 
granite.  used    except    by    visitors.      The    opportunity    was    seized    to    make    a  cool  recessed  North 

garden    overlooked    by  the  billiard -room,  to  the  formation  of  which  the  plan  of  the  house 
and  the  stable  buildings   lend   themselves   admirably. 

On  the  South  front,  the  main  object  was  to  merge  the  house  into  the  surroundings 
without  harshness  or  discord,  and,  looking  South  from  the  house,  to  secure  a  pleasing 
composition  with  a  rich  yet  harmonious  foreground  to  the  beautiful  home  landscape 
beyond  (111.  No.  366).  It  was  principally  to  secure  the  best  results  in  this  direction 
that  the  two  garden  houses  were  erected  to  act  as  frames  to  the  beautiful  picture,  the 
fountain  and  figure  being  introduced  to  focus  the  interest  surrounding  the  circular  water- 
lily  pond.  The  wide  circular  paved  walk  is  reached  on  three  sides  by  steps  leading 
down  to  the  pond.  From  the  South  side  is  a  long  flight  of  steps  leading  to  the  wall 
garden  (111.  No.  266),  one  of  the  least  expensive  yet  nevertheless  most  successful  parts  of 
the  domain,  which  is  intended  to  mark  the  transition  between  the  formal  portion  of,  the 
grounds  and  the  landscape-garden  and  park,  to  which,,  and  to  the  lake,  the  curved 
walk  shown  on  the  plan  leads. 

On  a  steep  decline  to  the  East  side,  fully  twenty  feet  below  the  house  level,  is  the 
old  kitchen  garden,  which  has  been  altered  and  improved  beyond  recognition.  Being 
both  handy  and  accessible,  it  adds  additional  interest  to  the  gardens,  and  promises 
to  be  a  much-sought-after  pleasaunce  ;  it  therefore  received  that  attention  which  always 
repays  one  when  the  useful  and  the  pleasant  are  suitably  combined.  The  range  of 
plant  and  fruit  houses,  the  espalier  (111.  No.  313),  the  yew  hedges  and  rose  borders, 
the  wide  borders  of  hardy  perennials,  the  rough  granite  walls  with  slate-hooded  coping 
over  which  roses  and  other  climbers  are  allowed  to  grow,  the  well-trained  fruit  trees  and 
borders  of  sweet  herbs — all  give  beauty  and  interest  to  the  whole. 

GARDENS  TO  A   CLASSIC  RENAISSANCE  MANSION. 

Seldom  is  a  garden  designer  called  upon  to  plan  terraces  and  gardens  to  accord 
with  a  house  so  unique  as  the  one  shown  in  illustration  No.  415.  The  architects  who 
designed  such  houses  as  this  have  generally  left  some  record  of  their  intentions  regarding 
the  gardens  ;  but  whatever  may  have  been  planned,  practically  nothing  has  been  carried 
out,  a  short  length  of  balustraded  terrace  being  the  only  survival  of  a  definite  garden 
treatment.  In  the  park,  however,  a  fine  avenue  of  elms,  evidently  planted  at  about 
the  same  date  that  the  house  was  built,  would  seem  to  show  that  a  garden  and  park 
scheme  had  been  prepared.  There  is  also  strong  evidence,  in  the  river-like  lake  shown 
in  illustration  No.  259,  that  some  capable  follower  of  the  landscape  school  had  been 
consulted  at  a  later  period,  and  it  is  probable  that  this  gentleman  set  out  the  various 
groups  of  trees  in  the  park. 

Not  only  are  the  architectural  merits  of  the  house  exceptional,  but  the  site  is  also, 
the  gentle  fall  of  the  ground  lending  itself  to  that  broad  classic  treatment  which  the 
character  of  the  mansion  demands,  while  the  views  from  the  house  across  the  beautiful, 
well-wooded,  undulating  park,  over  the  lake,  and  so  forward  to. the  wooded  higher  ground 
in  the  distance,  provide  quite  a  charming  setting.  Before  Mr.  Waring  discovered  the 
house,  it  had  long  been  unoccupied,  like  many  originally  first-class  residences  which'  lose 
caste,  and  must  either  suffer  transformation,  or  stand  tenantless  and  go  the  way  of  ruin. 
A  plan  for  cutting  up  the  estate  into  building  plots,  including  the  destruction  of  the 
house,  had  actually  been  prepared. 

To  obtain  an  adequate  idea  of  the  lie  of  the  ground,  it  is  necessary  to  compare  the 
plan  with  the  perspective  view  noticing  the  drop  from  the  centre  of  the  terraces  to  the 
commencement  of  the  central  avenue,  from  which  point  there  is  a  gradual  fall  to  the  lake 
along  it  entire  length,  which  extends  some  150  yards.  As  the  perspective  view  suggests, 

368 


EXAMPLES    OF    GARDEN     DESIGN. 


FIG.     414. 


369 


EXAMPLES     OF     GARDEN     DESIGN. 


EXAMPLES     OF     GARDEN     DESIGN. 

there  is  very  little   cross   fall,   possibly  6   feet   in   all,    this   being   towards   the  right   of   the     Classic 
picture.      The    garden    scheme    is    not   only    helped   by  having   a  fine  house  as  its  centre,     Renais- 
and    a   fall   of  ground   which    lends    itself    to    proportionate    terraces,    but    is    also    greatly     sance 
assisted   by  the   background    of    stately    timber  trees,   composed  of  elms,    oaks,   sycamore,     Domain. 
beech   and   Scotch    firs,    which    are    indicated    in    outline    on    the    perspective   view  ;     there 
are  also  a  number  of  fine  trees,  including   a  noble  cedar  of   Lebanon,   within  the  grounds, 
which  have  in  great   measure   influenced   this   plan. 

The  arrangement  was  further  influenced  by  the  laundry  and  the  stables  shown  in 
the  plan  (111.  No.  414),  both  of  which  are  erections  in  the  Georgian  style  of 
architecture,  built  with  small  red  bricks,  and  having  the  typical  prominent  wooden 
cornices  and  eaves  :  really  effective  buildings  suitable  for  incorporation  in  the  general 
composition.  On  the  East,  the  drive  runs  past  the  laundry,  thence  through  a  coppice 
wood  beyond.  This  laundry  is  so  placed  as  to  form  a  fitting  architectural  termination 
to  the  long  and  effective  elm  avenue,  near  the  right-hand  edge  of  the  plan.  To  the 


FIG.    416. — ANCIENT    WOODCUT    OF    FOOTS    CRAY    PLACE. 

West,  the  drive  leads  with  a  measure  of  privacy  between  hedges  to  the  kitchen  garden 
and  stables,  the  roof  and  cupola  of  which  group  happily  amidst  the  trees,  and  are 
shown  in  illustration  No.  153 • 

As  already  stated,  there  is  some  very  fine  timber  on  the  North  side  of  house  and 
garden  extending  on  the  West  round  by  the  stables  ;  this  is  indicated  by  the  irregular- 
shaped  plantations  shown  on  the  plan. 

In  the  original  plan  of  the  house,  the  carriage  court  was  on  the  South  side,  the  wide 
handsome  flight  of  stairs  leading  up  to  the  entrance  hall  and  the  picture  gallery  being 
on  the  North  ;  this  order  is  now  reversed,  with  great  advantage  both  to  house  and 
garden,  chiefly  because  the  carriage  court  level  is  now  the  same  as  that  of  the  entertaining 
floor,  while  on  the  South,  the  wide  stairs  or  steps  give  a  very  fine  connecting  link  with 
the  gardens,  which,  being  on  a  much  lower  level,  are  looked  down  upon  from  the  picture 
gallery,  which  is  also  used  as  a  grand  parlour.  Another  very  great  advantage  arising  out 


371 


Classic 
Renais- 
sance 
domain. 


EXAMPLES     OF    GARDEN     DESIGN. 

of  the  alterations  is  that  the  gardens  are  now  quite  screened  from  the  carriage  drive, 
leaving  the  whole  of  the  ground  on  three  sides  of  the  house  free  for  their  extension. 

To  make  a  success  of  this  scheme,  length  and  breadth  of  line,  and  plain  unbroken 
surfaces  were  much  more  necessary  than  wealth  of  detail,  and  it  is  upon  this  bold 
simplicity  that  the  composition  depends.  The  several  levels  suggested  differing  garden 
departments,  which,  though  intimately  connected  and  part  of  one  broad  design,  are 
nevertheless  separate  enclosures  ;  each  portion  having  its  own  special  treatment  and 
its  own  individual  interest. 

The  lay-out  of  the  South  front  and  the  extended  terrace  base,  with  its  pavilions 
at  each  end,  are  intended  to  secure  the  proper  connection  which  should  exist  between 
the  house  and  garden.  How  far  this  merging  of  one  part  into  another  is  likely  to  be 
realized  is  shown  by  the  perspective  view  (111.  No.  415).  Those  versed  in  garden 


•i 


FIG.  417. — THE  AVIARY,  FOOTS  CRAY  PLACE. 

design  can  picture  for  themselves  the  effect  of  a  view  from  instead  of  toward  the  house, 
with  the  terracing  as  a  foreground  to  the  true  English  park,  and  the  wide  double  avenue 
uniting  the  lake  and  its  classic  pavilion  with  the  formal  garden. 

The  central  or  balustraded  part  of  the  first  terrace,  which  is  old,  and  not  supported 
on  a  sufficiently  deep  wall  for  the  execution  of  the  new  scheme  has  been  underpinned, 
the  centre  being  converted  into  a  long  alcove  with  a  circular  bay,  which  gives  the 
appearance  of  an  overhanging  garden.  This  is  to  be  paved  with  flags  of  two  colours 
arranged  to  a  pattern,  the  balustraded  wall  being  ornamented  with  lead  figures,  while 
the  flat-topped  supporting  buttresses  arranged  at  intervals  will  be  finished  with  lead 
urns.  The  wall  dividing  the  second  and  third  terraces  is  treated  in  a  simple  manner, 
the  coping  in  the  former  case  rising  only  eighteen  inches  above  the  grass ;  this  second 


372 


EXAMPLES     OF    GARDEN     DESIGN. 

terrace  is  principally  laid  down  in  grass,  to  be  used  as  tennis  or  croquet  lawns.  To 
this  part  of  the  gardens  a  good  deal  of  colour  is  added  by  the  long  flower  border 
under  the  terrace  wall,  and  semicircular  rose  gardens  at  either  end ;  the  latter  are 
backed  by  yew  hedges  with  pillars  and  urns  in  front.  The  terrace  wall,  which  divides 
the  more  ornate  portions  of  the  grounds  from  the  park,  is,  like  the  second  wall,  treated 
in  a  simple  manner,  but  in  the  central  bay  there  is  a  parapet  wall  which  rises  2  ft. 
9  inches  above  the  terrace  level,  with  an  imposing  gateway  leading  down  to  the  avenue. 

Leading  from  the  Easterly  half  of  the  lawn,  devoted  to  croquet,  is  a  lily  pond, 
advantageously  sunk  some  three  feet  lower  than  the  lawn. 

Mention  ought  to  be  made  of  the  reserve  garden  in  the  South-west  corner,  fronting 
the  stables,  which  is  the  original  kitchen  garden  transformed  into  a  walled-in  retreat 
of  fruit-trees  and  flowers  (111.  No.  142).  It  is  bordered  on  the  South  side  by  a  long 
bowling  alley.  Of  this  alley  "two  views  are  shown  in  illustrations  Nos.  152  and  153,  one 
looking  West  towards  the  pergola  and  octagonal  garden  house,  and  the  other  Eastwards 
towards  the  stables  with  the  hedge  and  row  of  limes  which  form  its  South  boundary. 

On  both  the  East  and  West  sides  of  the  domain,  the  same  feeling  of  breadth  is 
maintained  by  broad  lawns  and  extended  vistas,  especially  on  the  East,  where  the  per- 
vading keynote  is  struck  by  wide  glades  cut  through  the  surrounding  woodland,  which 
all  radiate  from  the  central  dome  of  the  house  and  are  hedged  in  with  tree  box. 

Beyond  the  bounds  of  the  scheme  included  in  the  plan  there  is  a  cricket  ground, 
and  the  wild  garden  shown  in  illustration  No.  273.  A  feature  is  also  to  be  made  of  the 
water  temple  on  the  bank  of  the  lake  terminating  the  avenue  ;  the  upper  part  being 
arranged  as  a  garden  house  and  the  under  part  as  a  boat-house.  A  somewhat  novel 
arrangement  for  the  overflow  is  that  it  falls  towards  the  garden  by  a  semi-circular- 
stepped  cascade,  and  then  returns  in  a  culvert  under  the  lake  and  into  a  stream  in  the 
meadows  below. 

A    MOUNTAIN    HOME. 

It  is  with  especial  pleasure  that  the  Author  approaches  the  task  of  describing  the 
grounds  to  Roynton  Cottage,  the  mountain  home  of  Sir  William  Lever,  Bart.,  for,  of  all 
the  gardens  laid  out  by  him,  there  have  been  few  which  have  provided  such  scope  for 
originality  of  treatment  and,  at  the  same  time,  such  an  incentive  to  meet  the  remark- 
able opportunities  presented  by  the  nature  of  the  site  and  its  surroundings,  an  incentive 
heightened  and  enlarged  by  the  exceptionally  sympathetic  interest  shown  in  the  work 
by  his  Client. 

Roynton  Cottage,  or  "  The  Bungalow,"  as  it  is  more  often  referred  to  locally,  stands 
high  up  on  the  open  fell-side  above  Horwich,  which,  with  its  large  railway  engineering 
works,  lies  down  in  the  hollow  below,  some  six  miles  from  Sir  William  Lever's  native 
place  of  Bolton. 

As  one  approaches  the  site  of  the  garden  from  the  town,  one  climbs  up  and  up  by 
a  remarkably  engineered  road,  laid  out  by  the  owner  of  the  Cottage,  with  gorse  and 
brake  rising  up  on  the  one  side,  and  falling  steeply  away  on  the  other  in  precipitous 
banks,  and  with  an  ever-widening  prospect  spread  out  at  one's  feet  ;  the  keen  mountain 
air  in  one's  face  or  a  breeze  blowing  straight  from  the  Irish  Sea,  with  nothing  between  it 
and  us  to  break  its  force  or  tone  down  its  exhilarating  freshness. 

Arrived  at  the  Cottage,  and  standing  on  the  top  terrace  by  the  telescope  mount- 
ing, almost  exactly  1,000  feet  above  sea  level,  a  wonderful  prospect  that  could  rarely  be 
equalled  in  these  Islands  for  extent  and  variety  lies  before  us.  Immediately  below,  and 
stretching  away  into  the  middle  distance  to  the  right,  are  the  huge  reservoirs  which 
supply  Liverpool  with  water,  and  which  possess,  at  least  at  this  distance,  all  the  aesthetic 
qualities  of  large  natural  lakes,  and,  beyond  these,  for  those  whose  sight  is  keen  enough, 


Classic 
Renais- 
sance 
Domain. 


373 


EXAMPLES     OF    GARDEN     DESIGN. 


EXAMPLES     OF     GARDEN     DESIGN. 

stretch  range  after  range  of  hills  to  the   Welsh  Mountains   on   our  left  front  and  those  of    Mountain 
the    English    Lake    District    more    to    our    right.  Home. 

The  names  engraved  on  the  mounting  for  the  large  telescope  on  the  terrace  will 
give  a  more  vivid  idea  of  the  range  of  view  than  any  description.  The  more  important 
of  these,  reading  from  South  to  North,  are  :— Warrington,  Port  Sunlight,  New  Brighton 
(the  tower  at  which  place  is  visible  by  the  naked  eye  in  very  clear  weather),  Snowdon, 
Llandudno,  Anglesey,  Southport,  Lytham,  Douglas,  Blackpool,  Fleetwood,  Wigtown,  Preston, 
Bowfell,  Skiddaw,  and  Helvellyn. 

The  country  all  round  the  Liverpool  water-works,  including  the  water-shed  or  col- 
lecting ground  for  the  reservoirs,  is,  of  course,  preserved  by  the  Authorities  in  order  to 
insure  that  the  supply  shall  remain  uncontaminated,  and  thus  there  is  no  fear  of  this 
wonderful  prospect  being  deteriorated — it  could  never  be  spoiled— by  the  erection  of  large 
works  or  other  eye-sores.  In  addition  to  this,  Sir  William  Lever  has  given  a  large 
tract  of  ground  sloping  into  the  valley  to  his  native  town  of  Bolton  for  a  public  park, 
and  it  is  being  left  largely  in  a  state  of  nature  but  for  the  formation  of  the  necessary 
roads  and  other  features,  such  as  refreshment  rooms,  essential  to  a  park  at  such  a  dis- 
tance from  the  town,  so  that  it  blends  perfectly  with  its  rugged  surroundings. 

We  may  incidentally  remark  that  there  is  a  splendid  electric  tram  service  from 
Bolton  to  within  a  short  distance  of  the  park  gates,  so  that,  notwithstanding  that  it  is 
six  miles  from  that  town,  it  is  much  appreciated  and  regularly  used  by  a  very  large 
number  of  holiday-makers,  not  only  from  Bolton  itself,  but  also  from  Chorley  and  the 
other  surrounding  Lancashire  towns. 

To  return  to  the  consideration  of  the  prospect  from  the  new  garden,  we  find  the 
view  on  the  opposite  or  East  side  of  the  Cottage,  though  not  so  extensive,  just  as  rugged 
and  romantic,  for  the  steep  fell-side  slopes  up  in  one  unbroken  precipitous  sweep  to  the 
summit  of  Rivington  Pike,  where  it  is  crowned,  with  a  square  battlemented  tower,  which 
forms  a  landmark  for  many  miles  round,  and  is  wonderfully  effective  as  viewed  from 
down  in  the  valley  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Horwich.  The  summit  of  the  Pike  and  a 
way  up  to  it  have  also  been  dedicated  to  the  public  by  the  owner  of  the  Cottage. 

From  the  foregoing  description  it  will  be  seen  that  all  the  surroundings  of  the  new 
garden  would  be  rugged  and  wild  in  the  extreme,  and  that,  if  it  were  to  harmonize  with 
them  and  fall  properly  into  its  place  and  express  their  spirit,  it  must  not  only  receive 
exceptional  breadth  of  treatment  at  every  point,  but  must,  in  its  architectural  details, 
be  free  from  the  slightest  suspicion  of  hyper-cultivation.  How  far  this  result  has  been 
attained  must  be  left  very  largely  to  the  reader  to  judge  from  a  comparison  of  the  plan 
with  the  accompanying  photographs.  As  will  be  seen,  the  native  stone  has  been  quarried 
and  used  everywhere,  and  this  alone  gives  a  pronounced  local  note  which  the  heavy, 
rugged  style  of  building  which  has  been  adopted  and  the  brown-coloured  slates  used,  have 
still  further  enhanced. 

The  great  need  of  this  garden,  high  up  on  the  treeless  uplands,  was,  of  course,  shelter. 
This  has  been  obtained  by  means  of  the  pergolas  shown  in  more  than  one  of  the  photo- 
graphs, and  by  working  in  a  little  shelter  for  a  seat  wherever  possible.  Two  of  these 
are  shown  in  illustration  No.  423,  and  a  careful  examination  of  the  interior  of  the 
pergola  in  illustration  No.  420  will  reveal  one  of  several  recesses  in  the  back  wall  which 
have  been  contrived  out  of  waste  space  and  roofed  over  with  rough  thick  glass,  as 
otherwise  they  would  have  been  very  dark.  Furnished  with  a  few  garden  chairs  and 
surrounded  with  the  greenery  clothing  the  pergola,  they  make  very  cosy  shelters  from 
which  to  look  out  between  the  rough-built  stone  pillars  of  the  pergola  at  the  endless 
succession  of  hill  after  hill  and  pleasant  valley  between. 

Apart  from  these  small  contrivances,  however,  there  is  one  portion  of  the  grounds 
expressly  laid  out  to  provide  shelter.  This  is  the  small  cloister-like  enclosure  to  the 

375 


EXAMPLES    OF    GARDEN     DESIGN. 


FIG.  419. — THE  NORTH  LAWN  AND  PERGOLA,  ROYNTON  COTTAGE. 


FIG.  42O. — INTERIOR  VIEW  OF  ABOVE  PERGOLA,  SHOWING  SHELTER. 


376 


EXAMPLES     OF    GARDEN     DESIGN. 


FIG.  421.— SUMMER-HOUSE  ON  TERRACE,  ROYNTON  COTTAGE.  FIG.   422. — TOWER   AND    LOGGIA,    ROYNTON    COTTAGE. 


FIG.    423. — SEAT   COVERS   AND    AVIARY,    ROYNTON   COTTAGE.         FIG.  424. — THE    LONG   STEPPED    WALK,  IROYNTON   COTTAGE. 


377 


EXAMPLES     OF    GARDEN     DESIGN. 

Mountain        East   of   the   main   part  of   the  house,   known   as  the    Garth,    and   in    the   centre   of   which 
Home.  stands   the   dovecote   shown   in   illustration   No.    233.      As    will    be   seen    from    the    plan,    a 

pergola  runs  all  round  it,  which,  however,  had  not  become  covered  at  the  time  when 
the  illustration  just  referred  to  was  made.  It  is  quite  curious  to  see  the  delight  of  the 
more  discriminating  of  the  hundreds  of  visitors  who  come  to  see  these  gardens,  when,  after 
being  shown  all  round  the  other  portions  of  the  grounds,  they  are  suddenly  introduced, 
by  the  opening  of  a  door  in  the  back  wall  of  a  pergola,  to  this  new  feature,  which 
strikes  exactly  the  note  required  to  complete  the  composition,  with  its  quiet  air  of 
seclusion  and  shelter  from  bleak  winds,  its  cooing  doves,  and  the  rippling  reflections  in 
the  little  basin  at  the  base  of  their  cote  to  give  a  sense  of  brightness  and  freshness. 

There  are  doves  and  pigeons  everywhere,  and  their  introduction  was  a  very  happy 
thought,  giving,  as  it  does,  a  sense  of  life  and  habitation  and  fluttering  movement  to  this 
domain  among  the  solitary  fells.  They  will  be  seen  in  several  of  the  illustrations,  and  two 
of  the  smaller  dovecotes,  quaintly  roofed  square  erections,  are  shown  in  the  background 
of  illustration  No.  424.  In  the  accompanying  photograph  of  the  tower  and  loggia,  which 
punctuate  the  Northern  extremity  of  the  grounds,  an  arched  opening  with  a  screen 
containing  pigeon  holes  will  be  found  in  the  centre  of  the  photograph  and  another  to 
the  extreme  right,  and  as  will  be  seen  on  reference  to  the  plan,  these  form  a  part  of 
a  long  series  of  such  openings  which  grace  this  enclosing  wall  and  relieve  its  bare  face 
from  monotony. 

The  planting  of  this  garden  was,  of  course,  a  special  problem  in  itself,  which  could 
only  be  solved  by  many  experiments.  Everyone  interested  expressed  the  decided  opinion 
that  nothing  whatever  except  the  native  heather  would  or  could  be  got  to  grow  by  any 
means  whatsoever.  However,  such  Job's  comforters  have  been  abundantly  proved  to  be 
wrong,  and  now  considerably  over  one  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  trees  and  shrubs  have 
been  planted  and  are  doing  well,  principally,  of  course,  such  things  as  pines  and  broad- 
leaved  hollies,  while  rock  plants,  among  which  the  various  saxifrages  are  conspicuous, 
adorn  the  rough  stonework  in  the  walls,  steps  and  pergolas.  The  hardiest  climbing 
roses  have  done  surprisingly  well,  though,  of  course,  the  season  is  very  late  in  these  as 
in  other  things,  and,  at  the  time  the  photograph  of  the  summer-house  in  illustration 
No.  421  was  taken,  a  Dorothy  Perkins  rose  was  providing  a  most  beautiful  colour 
contrast  against  the  grey  stone  and  roof  and  the  purple  heather,  which  made  one  feel 
acutely  the  limitations  of  ordinary  photography. 

In  several  places,  in  forming  the  gardens,  the  native  rock  has  been  laid  bare,  and  in 
one  case  a  little  cave  has  been  constructed  in  a  very  natural  manner,  while,  at  another 
place,  the  presence  of  a  tiny  mountain  rill  has  been  taken  advantage  of  to  form  a  rocky 
waterfall  with  a  series  of  large  pools  below. 

The  way  in  which  the  exceptional  nature  of  the  site  has  been  taken  advantage  of 
to  justify  original  treatments,  which,  though  they  would  no  doubt  appear  bizarre  in  other 
cases,  fall  naturally  into  their  place  in  their  rugged  surroundings,  is  forcibly  shown  in  the 
photograph  of  the  bridge  connecting  the  grounds  with  Rivington  Park,  which,  as  already 
stated,  has  been  given  to  the  public  by  Sir  William  Lever. 

This  example  shows,  more  clearly  perhaps  than  any  other,  the  necessity  of  adapting 
the  gardens  to  the  conditions  prevailing  on  the  site,  instead  of  commencing  their  design 
and  construction  with  preconceived  ideas  as  to  what  is  right  and  proper  or  what 
should  be  included.  The  result  could  not  have  been  so  satisfactory  both  to  the 
Author  and  his  Client  had  not  each  feature  incorporated  in  the  scheme  been  the 
logical  outcome  of  an  endeavour  to  meet  a  felt  need  in  the  simplest  and  most  efficient 
manner,  coupled  with  the  endeavour  to  strike  a  homely  local  note  by  the  use  of 
those  materials  abounding  in  the  site  and  to  employ  them  in  the  manner  to  which 
their  physical  properties  best  fitted  them. 

378 


EXAMPLES     OF     GARDEN     DESIGN. 


FIG.    425.— ENTRANCE    LODGE,    ROYNTON    COTTAGE. 


FIG.    426. — BRIDGE    CONNECTING    ROYNTON    COTTAGE    WITH    PUBLIC    PARK. 


379 


EXAMPLES    OF    GARDEN     DESIGN 


EXAMPLES     OF     GARDEN     DESIGN. 

A    HILLSIDE    GARDEN. 

Wood  Hall,  Cockermouth,  which  we  have  taken  as  a  typical  example  of  a  hillside 
garden,  is  situated  on  one  of  the  most  romantic  spots  in  Great  Britain.  Its  beauty  is 
not,  however,  of  that  haphazard  order  which  one  usually  associates  with  the  word  pic- 
turesque. The  view  from  the  South  front  is  fine  and  spacious,  with  a  disposition  of 
watered  vale  and  rolling  woodland,  of  deep  declivities,  and  a  background  of  Lakeland 
mountains,  all  rising  from  rich  flat  meadows  and  broken  by  the  sinuous  lines  and  silver 
streaks  of  the  river  Derwent ;  whilst  away  to  the  West  are  the  romantic  ruins  of  Cocker- 
mouth  Castle.  No  wonder  that  Turner  loved  the  view  from  Wood  Hall,  and  selected 
it  as  the  subject  of  one  of  his  great  pictures  ;  the  prospects  suggest  the  "  Grand  Man- 
ner "  loved  by  the  doyens  of  English  Landscape  Painters. 


A  Hillside 
Garden. 


FIG.    428. — SUNDIAL    BASTION    AND    PERGOLA,    WOOD    HALL,    COCKERMOUTH. 

Wood  Hall  is  one  of  those  domains  which,  as  domains,  have  existed  almost  from 
time  immemorial,  but  unfortunately,  as  in  so  many  other  instances,  that  reverence  for  the 
antique  which  is  so  universal  in  those  who  love  a  garden  has  little  beyond  tradition  and 
history  to  feed  upon,  as  the  last  of  the  ancient  monastic  buildings  disappeared  long  ago. 

It  is  a  far  cry  from  the  time  when  Waltheof,  the  first  Lord  of  Allerdale,  gave  Wood 
Hall,  together  with  other  property,  to  the  Priory  of  Guisborough,  and  since  then,  on 
the  dissolution  of  the  monasteries,  Henry  VIII.  sold  it  to  Henry  Tolson,  Gent.,  the 
ancestor  of  a  line  which  held  it  for  many  years,  until  it  fell  into  the  hands  of  the 
Fisher  family,  who  subsequently  sold  it  to  the  present  proprietor,  Edward  T.  Tyson, 
Esq.,  J.P. 

The  present  mansion  was  commenced  during  the  Fisher  occupancy,  and  after  having 
been  added  to  and  altered  more  than  once,  was  converted  into  the  existing  commodious 


EXAMPLES     OF    GARDEN     DESIGN. 


FIG.    429. — CONNECTION    BETWEEN    HOUSE    AND    GARDEN,     WOOD    HALL,     COCKERMOUTH. 


FIG.     430. — CONNECTION      BETWEEN      FORMAL      AND      INFORMAL,      WOOD      HALL,     COCKERMOUTH. 

382 


EXAMPLES     OF     GARDEN     DESIGN. 

country  seat  by  the  present  owner,  previous  to  laying  out  the  grounds  as  shown  on  the 
accompanying  photographs. 

Wood  Hall  occupies  the  slope  on  the  North  side  of  the  valley,  and  has  therefore 
a  full  Southern  exposure.  Formerly  the  house  was  of  much  more  modest  dimensions, 
but,  following  the  English  tradition,  each  succeeding  owner  has  enlarged  and  re-modelled, 
until  to-day  Wood  Hall  is  a  fairly  representative  specimen  of  an  English  country  home. 

The  present  owner  had,  with  great  taste  and  discretion,  and  under  the  supervision 
of  his  Architect,  the  late  Mr.  Ferguson,  of  Carlisle,  added  a  new  entrance  hall  on  the 
South  front,  and  the  billiard-room  shown  in  illustration  No.  427.  On  the  West,  behind 
the  house  and  crowning  the  highest  part  of  the  grounds,  are  the  old  stables  and  farmery, 
and  behind  the  billiard-room  sundry  strips  and  plots  of  ground  surrounded  by  walls  at 


A  Hillside 
Garden. 


FIG.     431. — THE    APPROACH    TO    WOOD    HALL,     COCKERMOUTH. 

conflicting   angles,    rendering    this    view    of   the   grounds    and    gardens    very    unsatisfactory, 
and  without  any  reasonable  recompense  in  the  shape  of  "  cropping  "  ground. 

No  alterations  have  been  made  to  the  total  area  or  outer  boundaries.  The  long  strip 
forming  the  kept  garden  is  almost  equally  divided  into  an  upper  and  lower  garden  by 
the  drive,  which  enters  the  enclosure  by  a  lodge  entrance  about  one  hundred  feet  West 
of  the  area  shown  on  the  plan.  The  gardens,  the  levels  of  which  may  be  judged  by  the 
two  sections  (111.  No.  427),  stands  almost  in  the  centre  of  a  beautifully  undulated  and 
well-wooded  park.  Partly  by  accident  and  partly  by  definite  planning,  the  trees 
immediately  round  the  gardens  give  great  support  to  it,  and  not  only  secure  that 
dominant  note  of  continuity  which  only  well-grown  timber  can  give,  and  which  is  typical 
of  the  English  domain,  but,  by  their  positions  in  relation  to  the  principal  view  points 
in  the  garden,  and  also  from  the  windows  of  the  house,  add  enormously  to  the  value 
of  the  vistas. 


383 


EXAMPLES    OF     GARDEN     DESIGN. 


384 


EXAMPLES     OF     GARDEN     DESIGN. 

The  first  aim  in  the  re-modelling  of  the  gardens  was  to  secure  a  sense  of  space,  and     A  Hillside 
also  connecting  lines  which  would  secure  some  architectural  connection  between  the  house     Garden. 
and    its    setting.      There    was    the    further    consideration    that,    as    in    most    other    hillside 
gardens,  there  were  few  walks  which  ministered  to  one's  comfort   or  leisure.      In  short,  to 
walk   round   the  garden   was   an   exertion. 

The  shape  and  contours  and  obliquities  of  line  on  this  Estate  are  so  unusual  that 
no  very  clear  idea  can  be  obtained  from  the  plan  of  the  great  difficulties  to  be  solved 
before  any  degree  of  order  could  be  evolved,  but  a  comparison  of  the  plan  (111.  No.  427), 
with  the  photographs  showing  the  improvements  which  have  been  effected,  will  make  it 
at  once  apparent  that,  notwithstanding  the  difficulties  to  be  overcome,  results  combining 
practical  as  well  as  aesthetic  advantages  have  been  attained.  The  level  spaces  immediately 
round  the  house,  but  especially  on  the  South  and  West  fronts,  have  been  considerably 
expanded,  and  the  line  and  gradients  of  the  carriage  drive  improved.  Then  the  terrace 
on  the  South  front  has  been  extended,  and  a  pergola  constructed  on  the  East  side  extending 
from  the  carriage  court  to  the  park  postern  gate.  This  latter  feature  has  secured  a 
balanced  effect  on  what  was  previously  the  least  satisfactory  side  of  the  site.  Instead 
of  the  narrow  winding  walks  on  the  West  side,  good  wide  paths,  some  of  them  nagged, 
have  been  constructed  and,  at  one  of  the  finest  view-points,  the  garden-house  shown  in 
illustration  No.  433  has  been  erected.  Another  fine  view-point  has  been  taken  advantage 
of  by  the  insertion  of  a  three-arched  alcove  under  the  West  end  of  the  South  wall  of 
the  kitchen  garden. 

On  a  garden  site  like  the  one  at  Wood  Hall  there  is  a  great  opportunity  for  wall- 
gardening,  and  this  feature  has  been  made  the  most  of,  the  walls  along  the  side  of  the 
drive,  pergola,  and  several  of  the  walks  being  planted  with  a  choice  variety  of  Alpines 
and  other  wall  plants,  whilst  under  the  terrace  and  on  the  lower  side  of  the  drive  a 
large  amount  of  rock  from  a  local  quarry  has  been  added  to  supplement  the  several 
outcrops  on  the  site.  In  many  cases  these  have  a  background  of  rhododendrons, 
azaleas,  and  a  choice  variety  of  kalmias,  andromedas,  Alpine  rhododendrons,  and  ericas. 
In  other  parts  there  are  backgrounds  of  choice  Japanese  maples  interspersed  with  and 
relieved  by  compact-growing  conifers.  The  rock  garden  under  the  terrace  is  devoted  to 
Alpines,  and  in  addition  some  of  the  better  herbaceous  plants  have  been  added  to  give 
mass  and  a  connected  effect. 

As  the  garden  in  its  present  form  is  scarcely  a  year  old,  several  of  the  views 
lack  the  softening  touch  which  age  will  bring,  and,  though  the  scheme  is  full  of 
promise,  it  is  almost  impossible  so  to  illustrate  it  as  to  give  the  reader  any  idea 
of  the  ultimate  possibilities.  The  nature  of  the  surrounding  country  has  also  to 
be  taken  into  consideration  before  one  can  form  any  adequate  conception  of  the 
scheme  as  a  whole  from  the  photographs.  The  exceptional  nature  of  these  has 
already  been  hinted  at,  and  the  ancient  castle,  which  adds  so  greatly  to  the  interest 
of  the  views,  can  be  seen  in  the  middle  distance  of  illustration  No.  431.  The  site 
is  on  the  edge  of  the  English  Lake  District,  and  therefore  is  surrounded  with  country 
which  partakes  very  largely  of  the  rugged  picturesqueness  which  is  its  distinguishing 
feature,  and  this  has  had  its  influence  on  the  design  adopted.  In  order  that  it 
might  harmonize  with  its  surroundings,  the  architectural  details  were  kept  solid  to  a 
degree  which  would,  in  a  less  rugged  neighbourhood,  have  been  heavy  and  perhaps 
slightly  cumbersome,  but  which  here,  when  clothed  with  greenery,  will  fall  naturally 
into  place,  grace  and  lightness  being  obtained  by  the  use  of  statuary  at  specially 
selected  points  where  it  would  mark  the  centre  of  a  bastion  or  the  termination  of  a 
balustrade.  The  photographs  can,  however,  be  left  to  speak  for  themselves,  and  will, 
together  with  the  plan,  give  a  very  good  idea  of  the  scheme  as  a  whole,  and  the  variety 
obtained  within  quite  a  small  area. 

385 


EXAMPLES    OF    GARDEN     DESIGN. 


RUSHTDNHAli 

NORTHAMPTONSHIRE 


CW  YjfcAm  QiarJ&i 


\ja/r/ens  designed  far 
J  -J  'VanA/Jan 


FIG.     434. 
386 


EXAMPLES     OF    GARDEN     DESIGN. 


' 


FIG-    435- 
387 


EXAMPLES     OF    GARDEN     DESIGN. 


An  old 
Tudor 
Garden 
restored. 


AN    OLD    TUDOR    GARDEN    RESTORED,    REMODELLED    AND    ENLARGED. 

Of  the  many  stately  homes  which  adorn  this  county  of  great  country  seats,  Rushton 
Hall  is  one  of  the  noblest,  and,  from  the  point  of  view  of  the  antiquarian  with  an 
appreciation  for  Architecture,  certainly  one  of  the  most  interesting  and  important,  for  it 
still  retains  much  evidence  of  the  fine  architectural  style  in  which  the  great  men  of  the 
Tudor  and  Stuart  periods  built  their  homes,  and  in  which  they  expressed  so  much  of  the 
state  and  dignity  surrounding  their  positions  as  peers  of  the  realm. 

That  part  of  the  house  situated  at  the  S.W.  corner,  now  converted  into  a  library, 
probably  dates  from  mediaeval  times,  the  elevation  facing  West  being  built  in  rough  broken 
coursed  rubble  and  having  small  lancet  windows.  Rushton  Hall  was,  however1,  best  known 
to  architects  for  its  wonderful  Jacobean  strapwork  carried  out  with  much  imaginative  skill 
by  the  clever  stoneworkers  of  that  time.  At  a  rather  later  date  the  old  L  shaped  main 
facade  seen  in  the  perspective  view,  was  converted  into  a  square  large  enough  to  enclose 
the  formal  panel  garden  shown  on  the  plan.  The  later  work  is  much  more  restrained 
in  character  than  the  earlier  parts,  and  has  added  enormously  to  the  collective  effect 
of  Rushton,  the  connecting  corridor  and  raised  terrace  between  the  South  and  West 
wings  introducing  a  feature  which  is  most  happily  conceived,  allowing  not  only  a  fine 
perspective  view  of  the  house,  but  at  the  same  time  admitting  the  morning  sun. 

The  present  tenant,  J.  J.  Van  Allen,  Esq.,  has  carried  out  many  alterations  and 
improvements,  which,  though  destroying  some  of  its  ancient  charm,  have  at  the  same 
time  modernised  the  house  and  made  it  more  hygienically  perfect. 

When  the  Author  first  visited  Rushton  there  was  no  suggestion  to  the  eye  in  the 
undulating  lawns  of  a  terraced  garden  immediately  round  the  house,  but  that  such  gardens 
had  at  one  time  existed  was  amply  proved  by  the  outlying  portions,  such  as  Dydens 
Walk,  the  Wilderness,  and  the  Kitchen  Garden,  and  when  the  foundations  were  dug  for 
the  new  terraces,  the  old  walls,  with  their  beautiful  balustrades,  pillars  and  stone  urns 
were  brought  to  light,  and  records  preserved.  These  old  walls  were  curiously  enough 
within  a  few  feet  of  the  lines  adopted  for  the  new  ones,  the  levels  of  the  terraces  being 
approximately  the  same.  Their  destruction  was  probably  suggested  by  Capability  Brown, 
or  one  of  his  intimates,  who  at  the  same  time  formed  the  lake  and  the  landscape  garden 
beyond,  and  who  also  planted  the  clump  of  trees  in  the  park. 

In  destroying  these  gardens  the  object  aimed  at  was  to  give  a  proper  setting  and 
base  to  the  mansion,  and  at  the  same  time  to  weave  the  wilderness  and  later  landscape 
part  into  a  well-connected  and  harmonious  whole.  This  necessitated  the  large  scheme 
of  terraces  shown  in  the  illustrations,  and  also  the  restoration  of  much,  both  in  the  old 
formal  scheme  and  the  landscape  gardens,  which  years  of  neglect  had  allowed  to  grow 
out  of  recognition.  The  large  lake  covering  many  acres  had  silted  up  and  become  a 
morass  overgrown  with  willows  and  bogweeds,  creating  an  unhealthy  area  partly  covered 
with  shallow  stagnant  pools  which  under  certain  atmospheric  conditions  were  offensive. 
All  this  area  had  to  be  cleared  out  at  great  cost.  This  will  give  an  opportunity  for  the 
construction  of  the  formal  pond  shown  in  the  perspective  view,  which,  at  the  time  of 
writing,  has  not  been  commenced.  In  the  Park  all  the  long  vistas  had  been  closed  up 
by  trees  of  forty  or  fifty  years'  growth.  These  had  to  be  cleared  and  other  plantations 
arranged  to  secure  a  continuity  of  effect.  In  the  wilderness,  the  hedges  by  which  the 
different  portions  were  surrounded  had  overgrown  the  glades,  and  in  other  parts  had  been 
entirely  removed.  All  that  the  Author  attempted  for  these  two  sections  of  the  scheme 
was  the  restoration  of  the  plan  originally  laid  down. 

Rushton  thus  provides  an  example  of  the  all  too  numerous  English  gardens  where 
re-planning  has  become  necessary  through  the  ruin  wrought  by  succeeding  fashions  in 
garden  design,  and  by  the  neglect  of  the  two  outstanding  qualities  of  the  English  garden, 
viz.,  restraint  and  high  keeping. 


388 


INDICES. 

INDEX     TO     ILLUSTRATIONS. 
GENERAL     INDEX. 


INDEX     TO     ILLUSTRATIONS. 


Fig.    No. 

ABOVEBECK,  Grasmere,  terraces  at       113,  "4 

Acroliths    200,  203,  204 

at  the  Palais  Royal,  Brussels    200 

/Esculus  hippocastanum     357 

Alcove  at  Holker  Hall  43 

Alexandra,  H.M.  Queen,  garden  for  376 

Alpine  garden  in  the  Lake  District    265 

Ancestral  domain,   gardens  to       398,  399,  4°° 

Ancient  gateway  at  Farfield   House 48 

,,        woodcut  of  Foots  Cray  Place  416 

Anglevilliare,  Paris.     Plan  of  gardens    107 


Antique  Spanish  gates 


75, 


Approach  to  Wood   Hall,  Cockermouth     431 

Arbour,   see  Summer-houses. 

Arched  doorways  in  fruit  walls      299,  300 

Arches  for  roses     222,  295 

in  old  walls    136,  137,  138 

Artistic  grouping  of  trees      346,   347,   348,  349 

Ashridge  Park,   Berkhamsted,   lawns  at     149 

Ashton-on-Ribble,  gate  with  bells  at     68 

Ashton-on -Trent,   canal 252 

„                   lily  pond       251 

Athelhampton   Hall,   plan  of  gardens      86 

Avenue,   double    85 

Avenues,    how  to  plant 83,  84,  85 

radiating     321 

Aviary,  Foots  Cray  Place     417 

Roynton  Cottage      423 

Azaleas  at  Villa  Carlotta  on  Lake  Como      354 


BACK  drive,  junction  with  main  drive    90 

Baltimore,    Argyll,   gardens  at        402,   403,  404 

,,                  ,,        rockwork  at   261 

Balustrade  at  Montacute    170 

of  wood  in  brick  wall    112 

Balustrades      118,  119 

Bank,  drainage  of    151 

Bastions,   Wood  Hall,  Cockermouth       428,  429 

Bathing  ponds         253,  254 

Bifurcated  drive       87 

Bird  bath      243 

Board  irons  for  fruit  walls      302,  303 

Boathouse,   Kearsney  Court      235 

Bog  garden,  Underley  Hall      264 

Bowling  green,  Foots  Cray  Place     106,   152,  153 

Levens  Hall     150 

Boxes  for  Trees     223,  224,  225 

Boy  and  fish  fountain   237 

Brassey,  Lady,  see  Chelwood  Gate. 

Brathay  Crags,  Windermere    4,  5 

Brick  and  cobble  paving 162 

and  stone  paving     159 

coping     67 

,,      paved  kitchen  garden  walk       304 

,,      paving    163 

,,      terrace  walls        116,  117 

Bridge  at  Graythwaite  Hall     189 

at  Mount  Stewart      188 

,,        Chatsworth      185 

„       in  Devonshire     187 

Kearsney  Court      236 

,,        old,   at  Lynmouth      186 

,,       Roynton  Cottage  426 

Brock  enhurst,  acrolith  in  the  formal  garden        204 


Fig.   No- 
Broom,   white        360 

Broughton  Castle,   early  Victoria  flower  gardening  at   ...          8 

Brussels,   The  Palais   Royal       200 

Burying  posts,   correct  method  shown        213 


CANAL  at  Ashton-on-Trent     252 

at  Foots  Cray  Place       258 

at  Kearsney  Court      235,  236 

at  Palace  of  Peace     256 

under  construction      257 

Capernwray   Hall,   carriage  court  at        45 

Caps  for  posts     214 

Carnation  garden,  Maddersfield  Court     140 

, ,         walk     139 

Carnegie,   Andrew,  Esq.,   D.C.L.,  see  Skibo. 

Carriage  Court  at   Chiswick  House     46 

Wood,   Devonshire    22 

Carriage  Courts,  39,  40,  41,  42,  44,  45,  46,  47, 

96,    97,    98,    99,    too,  101 

Cast  iron  bays  in  fence     53 

Castanea  vulgaris     356 

Central  feature  in  the  kitchen  garden,  Thornton  Manor  305 

Channeling  to  drive    102 

Chatsworth,  the  bridge      185 

Chelwood  Gate,  pergola  at   192 

Chestnut,  horse    357 

Spanish   356 

Chiswick  House,   carriage  court  at      46 

Cisterns,  lead      209,  210 

Classic  temple,   Kew  Gardens       178 

Clematis  and  roses  covering  ugly  walls         368 

Clevehowe,  Windermere,  gardens  at       401 

Climber-covered  walls     118,  370 

Climbers  at  Wood,   Devonshire     365,  366 

,,          too  rampant    367 

Clipped  hedges,  327,  328,  329,  330,  331,  332,  333,  334,  336, 

337,  338 

Clipped  trees    339,  340 

,,             ,,     at  Levens  Hall 320,   336,  337 

Cobble  and  brick  paving       162 

Cobbles,  stones  and  slates,  fence  of   62 

Coffer  dam  in  canal  under  construction    257 

Columns  in  gardens  at  Seville     202 

Connection   between    carriage   court   and   garden,    Wood, 

Devonshire    410 

,,  ,,         formal    and     informal.    Wood    Hall, 

Cockermouth     430 

house  and  garden,  Wood,  Devonshire  411 

,,               ,,         house  and  garden,  Wood  hall 429 

pleasure  grounds  and  Kitchen  Garden, 

Flagstaff,  Colwyn  Bay    297 

Conservatory  at  The  Hill,  Hampstead 275 

,,               in  West  Park,  Wolverhampton     274 

,,              screening  unsightly  back  premises     277 

Coping    63,  64,  65,  66,  67 

,,         for  kitchen  garden  walls      302,  303 

Corbels,  Windermere,  gardens  at      379,  380,  381,  382 

Cottage  gardens,  gates  for 77,  78,  79,  80 

Country  house,   typical  designs  for     10 

Courtyards.     See  Carriage  Courts. 

Covered  way  at  Greenwoods,  Stock       193 

,,     between  house  and  highway    27 

Crazy  paving,   designs  for      160 

Cringlemire,   Windermere,   summer-house  at      182 


39° 


INDEX     TO     ILLUSTRATIONS— continued. 


Fig.  No. 

Croquet  lawn,   Dunchurch  Lodge         397 

Cupid  statue     IQ9 

Cytisus  Alba     36° 

DALHAM  Hall,  near  Newmarket,  terrace  at      175 

Delphiniums     372 

Design  for  pergola,   Dunchurch  Lodge        IQO 

Designs  for  gardens.     See  plans. 

for  flower  gardens      133,    134,  135 

for  paved  walks    159,  160,  161,  162,  163 

Detached  columns  in   gardens  at  Seville        202 

residence,  small,  gardens  to  ...   379,   380,   381,  382 

Donatello,  fountain  by      246 

Doors  for  kitchen  gardens    299,  300 

Doorway,   Roynton  Cottage      424 

Double  avenue,  how  to  plant      85 

drives    91,  92,  94 

Dovecotes,   Roynton  Cottage        233,  422 

Drainage  of  grass  bank,  section  showing      151 

,,         scheme  for  kitchen  garden      298 

Drivers,  shelter  for     43,  44 

Drives,  curves  of     89 

,,        cut  through  solid  rock    102 

,,        double      91,   92,  94 

formal      87 

gradients  of    88 

junction  with  service  road      90 

,,        sections  through    103,  104 

Dunchurch  Lodge,  fruit  room       314 

gardens   at,    392,    393,    394,    395,   396,  397 

,,             ,,         gates  at       29 

,,              ,,          herbaceous  borders  at      371 

,,              ,,          kitchen  garden       295 

lodges  at     25 

pergola  at       190 

Dunfermline  Park,  lodges  at    21 

Dutch  sundial       206 


EARLY  Victorian  flower  garden,  Broughton  Castle    8 

Effective  placing  of  statuary   201 

Elms  stiffly  planted    349 

End  of  the  glade,  Lewiston  Manor    i,  148 

Entrance  with  covered  way    27 

Entrances,  see  also  Gates. 

27,  28,  29,  30,  31,  33,  34,  35,  36,  38 

at  Wood,   Devonshire      28,  31 

planning  of       93,  95 

Espaliers  for  fruit,  295,  296,  307,  308,  309,  310,  311,  312, 

313.  3M 

Exedra       232 


FARFIELD   House,  ancient  gateway  at        48 

Faversham,   fountain  garden  at   Frontispiece. 

gatepiers  at    30 

Fence  of  cobbles,   stones  and  slates    62 

of  oak  trellis 61 

,,        of  oak  wattles      59 

of  post  and  rail      56 

of  riven  oak        58,   59,   60,  61 

,,       of  slates  and  wire       49 

,,       of  split  larch    57 

,,        of  wrought  iron       50 

,,        for  roses,  The  Grange,   Wraysbury      55 

,,        for  wild  garden    56 

rustic     57 

,,       with  cast  iron  bays        53 

,,       with  wooden  bays      51,  52,  54 

brick  coping  for       67 


Fig.  No. 

Fences,  of  wood   55,  56,  57,  58,  59,  60,  61 

,,          stone  coping   lor       63,  64,  65,  66 

Fencing,   unclimbable,   and  hedges       335 

Finials  for  posts      214 

Flagstaff,  Colwyn   Bay.     Planting  plans    351,  352 

,,               ,,           ,,        Connection  between  kitchen  gar- 
den and  pleasure  grounds    ...  297 

,,                ,,            ,,        Lodges  at    24 

Range  of  glass  at      293 

Flat  gardens,  Levens      3 

Florence,   fountain   at      246 

Flower  gardens,  designs  for      133,   134,  135 

Foots  Cray  Place,   bowling  green        152,  153 

canal    258 

,,            ,,       fruit  garden      296,   310,  311 

gardens  at    414,  415,  416,  417 

gate  at    76 

,,          ,,            ,,       reserve  garden        142 

,,          ,,            ,,       rose  screen  at 222 

,,          ,,            ,,       the  bowling  green     106 

,,          ,,            ,,       the  glade     156 

,,          ,,            ,,       the  wild   garden     273 

Formal  canals,  see  Canals. 

drive        87 

garden,   Brockenhurst       204 

,,        gardens,   Foots  Cray  Place     414,  415 

„        gardens,    Rushton   Hall    435 

Fountain  in  kitchen  garden,   Thornton  Manor     305 

,,         Lees  Court  Frontispiece  &  241 

,,         Lewiston  Manor     238 

Rome        239 

statuary        237,  250 

Fountains   237,  238,  239,  241,  242,  243,  244,  245 

wall       246,  247,  249,  252 

French  fruit  espaliers    310,  311 

,,          ,,        garden,   Foots  Cray  Place     296 

Fruit  espaliers  ...  295,  296,  307,  308,  309,  310,  311,  312,  313,  314 

Fruit  garden,   Foots  Cray  Place    296,  310,  311 

,,      room      314,  315,  316,  317 

room,   Dunchurch  Lodge     314 

.,      room,  thatched     317 

room,  underground      315,  316 

wall  doors     299,  300 

wall,   section  through  301 

,,      walls,   board  irons  for         302,  303 


GARDEN  pavilions.     See  Summer-houses. 

,,       entrance,   Wood,   Devonshire       411 

in  granite   409,  410,  411,  412,  413 

seats         226,    227,    228,    229,    230,    231,  232 

tubs            223,  224,  225 

vases          208,  2ii.  212 

,,       walls    105 

Gardeners'    lodges.     See  Lodges  and  Gatehouses. 
Gardens,  designs  for.     See  Plans. 

at  Baltimore,  Argyll         402,  403,  404 

,,          at  Clevehowe,  Windermere       401 

at  Dunchurch  Lodge,   Rugby,     392,     393,     394, 

395,  396,  397 

at  Foots  Cray  Place       414,  415,  416,  417 

at  Graythwaite  Hall        398,  399,  400 

at  Hill,   Hampstead      387,  388,  389,  390  391 

at  Little  Onn  Hall,  Staffordshire,  405,  406, 

407,  408 

,,          at  Maesruddud,  plan  of    13 

at  Roynton  Cottage,    418,    419,    420,    421,    422, 

423,  424,  425,  426 

,,           at   Warren   House       146 

at  Wood,  Devonshire  409,  410,  411,  412,  413 


391 


INDEX     TO     ILLUSTRATIONS— continued. 


435 

127 
400 

417 
386 


Fig.  No. 

Gardens  at  Wood  Hall...     427,   428,  429,  430,  431,  432,  433 

,,           for  larger  detached  residence      383,  384 

Lees  Court       13° 

on  a  flat  site        405,  406,  407,  408 

Rushton  Hall,  Northamptonshire     434, 

,,  The  Grange,   Wraysbury       

,,  to  ancestral  domain      398,  399, 

,,  to  classic  renaissance  mansion,    414,    415,    416, 

„          to  good-sized  suburban  residence      385, 

,,           to  semi-detached  houses       378 

Gate  arbour     71 

,,     piers.     See  Gates. 

„     piers  at  Villa  Carlotta     16 

,,     with  bells,  Ashton-on-Ribble     68 

,,      wrought  iron      5° 

Gatehouse  for  a  garden     71 

Roynton  Cottage      425 

Thornton  Manor     81,  82 

,,           Wood,   Devonshire        22 

Gates        29,    30,    31,   32,   33,    34,   35,    36,  43,  216 

,,     at  Montacute    170 

,,     for  cottage  gardens         77,  78,  79,  80 

,,     in  wood  and  iron  combined      34,  35 

,,      lych-gate    61 

,,     opposite  end  of  street    38 

,,      postern       72,    73,    75,    77,    78,    79,  80 

,,     simple,  wooden         69 

,,      wrought  iron           70,  75,  76 

,,     at  Graythwaite  Hall      400 

,,             ,,            ,,     Dunchurch  Lodge       395 

Gateway  at  Farfield  House      48 

„          at  Skibo  Castle      74 

Gateways,  setting  out  of       36 

Giant  parsnip  under  trees     373 

Glade,  end  of  Lewiston  Manor    184 

„        Lewiston  Manor      I 

Glades  cut  through  woodlands      155,  156,  157 

Glasshouse  for  an  amateur       294 

staging      288 

Glasshouses  at  Lewiston  Manor       281 

,,  ranges  of,  279,  280,  281,  289,  290,  291,  292, 

293,  294 

„              sections  through,    282,    283,    284,    285,    286,  287 

Holehird,  Windermere     289 

,,              Wych  Cross    280 

Golden  Irish  Yews      341 

Grading  undulating  ground,   section  showing   154 

Grange,  Wraysbury,  kitchen  garden  at     304 

,,                 ,,             paved  garden  at       129 

paving  at    163 

,,                 ,,             plan  of  grounds    127 

postern  gate  at     72 

,,                 ,,             rose  festoons  at     55 

Granite  bridge  in  Devonshire       187 

,,      wall  fountain  in       247,  249 

Grass  bank  and  wall  compared       m 

,,       showing  drainage      151 

,,      walk  at  Lacies,  Abingdon     141 

walks     141,155,156,  157 

,,      walks,  stone  edging  to       158 

Graythwaite  Hall,  bridge  at     189 

,,     gardens  for      398,  399,  400 

,,     new  drive  and  carriage  court  at      ...  41 

,,                 ,,     perspective  view  of  grounds      398 


sundial  at 


234 


Greenwoods,  Stock,  covered  way  at       193 

Group  of  nine  elms    349 

Grouping  of  house  and  outbuildings      n 

Groves  of  small  trees     322,  323,  324 


Fig.   No. 

HADDON  Hall    2 

Hague.     See  Palace  of  Peace. 
Halsey,   Mrs.     See  Lees  Court. 

Hannaford,  wall  fountain  at    249 

Hedge  and  unclimbable  fencing        335 

on  cop,  section  through        338 

,,       opening  in,   marked  by  acroliths     203 

Hedges,  clipped,  327,  328,  329,  330,  331,  332,  333,  334,  336, 

337.  338 

Heracleum  giganteum         373 

Herbaceous  borders        374 

at  Dunchurch  Lodge      371 

,.                  ,,       correct  way  of  placing 143,  145 

wrong  placing  of     144 

Hill,  Hampstead,  conservatory  at       275 

London        387,   388,   389,   390,  391 

,,                ,,           trellis  screen  at       195 

,,            verandah  at     171,  172 

Hillside  garden,  Haddon  Hall      2 

Holehird,   Windermere,   glasshouses  at        289 

Holker  Hall,   shelters  in  carriage  court      43,  44 

Hollies  and  snowy  mespilus      359 

Horse  chestnut    357 

House  and  administrative  buildings  grouped  for  composite 

effect       n 

Hvidore,  garden  for  H.M.  Queen  Alexandra        376 

Hvde  Park,   London,   trees  in       348 


INTERIOR  of  pergola,   Roynton  Cottage    420 

Irish  Yew,  golden       341 

Iron  and  wood  espaliers       307,  313 

,,      espaliers     308,   309,  312 

„     lattice       313 

Italian  gatepiers       16 


JUNCTIONS  of  paths       167,     168 


KEARSNEY  Court,  boathouse  at      235 

,,  ,,       canal  and  bridges        235,  236 

„  „       terrace  walls  at     112,  116 

Keffolds,  Windermere,  terrace  at        117 

Kew  Gardens,  lake      259 

,,  ,,         temple  of  the  sun    178 

Kitchen  garden  and  pleasure  grounds,  how  to  connect  297 

„  ,,         doors      299,  300 

drainage  scheme  for     298 

,,          Dunchurch  Lodge     295 

„  ,,         paths,   edgings  for     306 

plan  of  279,  318,  319 

semi-circular       318 

,,  ,,         Thornton  Manor        305,  319 

walls,  coping  for      302,  303 

Wych  Cross  280,  298 

,,  ,,         walk,  brick  paved     304 

,,  ,,         walls,  board  irons  for         302,  303 

,,  ,,         walls,  section  through     301 

Kraal,   Berkhamsted,  gardens  at    385,  386 


LACIES,  Abingdon,  grass  walk  at     141 

Ladies'  garden,  Levens  Hall 336,  337 

Laidlaw,  Sir  Robert,  see  Warren  House, 

Lake  at  Wood,  Devonshire       343 

,,     Como,  gatepiers  on      16 

District  garden      401 

„         rock  garden  in    265 

Kew  Gardens     259 


392 


INDEX     TO     ILLUSTRATIONS— continued. 


Fig.  No. 

Lake,   Wolverhampton  Park     260 

Larch  fence       57 

Lattice  of  iron     3*3 

Lavender  under  the  casement     374 

Lawns  at  Ashbridge  Park,  Berkhamsted       149 

Lead  cisterns    209,  210 

Lean-to  houses,  sections  through       282,  283 

Lees  Court,  Faversham,  before  alteration     148 

fountain  at      241 

,,         ,,                 ,,            gardens  at   130 

gate  piers  at  30 

M                 ,.            placing  of  flower  beds  at     128 

terraced  effect  at        128 

Level  site,  gardens  for       15 

Levens  Hall,  bowling  green      150 

,,     clipped  trees  at     320,  336,  337 

,,     gardens      3 

,,     ladies'  garden     336,  337 

Lever,  Sir  William,  see  Thornton  Manor. 
,,  ,,  I.    Roynton. 

.,   Hill,  Hampstead. 

Lewiston  Manor,  end  of  glade     i,  184 

fountain  at       238 

,,              ,,         glasshouse  at        281 

planting  at       342 

,,         the  glade      155,  157 

Lily  pond  at  Ashton-on -Trent     251 

at  Hill,  Hampstead        388,  389 

at  Wych  Cross  Place     240 

,,        ,,       showing  sizes        248 

statue  for      250 

Lime  Walk,  Trinity  College,  Oxford     325,  326 

Little   Onn    Hall,   gardens  at    405,  406,  407,  408 

gates  at     32,  33 

,,        ,,         ,,       planting  plan  at      350 

Lodge,   Roynton  Cottage       425 

Thornton  Manor     81,  82 

Lodges,          17,   18,   19,  21,   22,  23,   24,   25,  26 

„         one-storied         17,  18,  19,  24 

renaissance     17 

Loggia  and  tower,  Roynton  Cottage      422 

Loggias  on  terrace  to  neo-classic  house    174 

Long-stepped  walk,   Roynton  Cottage    424 

London,  trees  in  Hyde  Park       348 

London's  "  Suburban  Gardener,"  illustration  from     321 

Lych  gate     61 

Lynmouth,   old  ragstone  bridge        186 


MADRESFIELD  Court,   carnation  garden        140 

Maesruddud,  lodges  at       23 

Magnolia  conspicua  soulangiana       369 

Marie  of  Padilloa,  gardens  of,  at  Seville       202 

Mentmore,  renaissance  gardens  at      7 

Method  of  burying  posts       213 

Mistaken  placing  of  flower  beds,  Lees  Court,  Faversham  148 

Montacute,  summer-house  at    170 

Mount  Stewart,  bridge  at     188 

,,            ,,           rockwork  at       262 

woodland  walks  at       169 

Mountain  Home  ...  418,  419,  420,  421,  422,  423,  424,  425,  426 

NATURE'S  triumph  over  stiff  arrangement  of  trees     ...  349 

Newton  Green  Hall,  rose  garden  at      131,  132 

Noble  architecture  obscured  by  too  rampant  climbers     ...  367 

North  Garden,  Wood,  Devonshire      413 

North  lawn  and  pergola,   Roynton  Cottage      419 

OAK  fencing        58,  59,  60,  61 

,,      trellis  fence    61 


Fig.  No. 

OAK  wattles  fencing      59 

Oaks,  groups  of       346,  347 

Old  Walls,  openings  in      136,    137,  138 

One-storied   lodges           17,  18,  19,  24 

Open-air  dining  room     276 

swimming  baths     253,  254 

Openings  in  old  walls    136,    137,  138 

Orangery     276 

Oxford,   Lime  Walk,  Trinity  College       325,  326 


PALACE  of  Peace,  canal  at    256 

,,            ,,         ,,       seat  at      232 

Palais  Royal,  Brussels       200 

Panel  garden,   Ballimore,  Argyll      403 

Little  Onn  Hall      407,  408 

designs  for     135 

Park  plantations,  Little  Onn  Hall      350 

Paved  garden,  The  Grange,  Wraysbury    129 

Paved  walks    159,  160,  161,  162,  163 

Pavilions,  garden.     See  Summer-houses. 

Peace  Palace,  The  Hague.     See  Palace  of  Peace. 

Peach-house,  section  through       283 

Pergola  at  Chelwood  Gate    192 

,,        at  Newton  Green  Hall      131,  132 

at  The  Hill,  Hampstead       388,  389,  390 

,,        at  Wych  Cross      191 

,,         Dunchurch  Lodge     190 

,,        of  brick  and  wood       190 

,,        of  larch  poles        194 

,,        of  rough  masonry    191 

,,        of  wood      192 

,,        Roynton  Cottage        419,  420,  423 

Wood  Hall,  Cockermouth     428,  432 

Pittencrief  Park,  lodges  at       21 

Placing  of  herbaceous  borders      143,  144,  145 

Plan  of  canal  at  The  Palace  of  Peace      257 

,,     ,,    gardens,  Anglevilliare      107 

,,     ,,           „        Athelhampton  Hall     86 

,,      ,,            ,,         Ballimore,   Argyll    402 

Buckinghamshire         15 

Clevehowe,  Windermere    401 

,,     ,,           ,,         Dunchurch  Lodge       392 

„     „           ;,         Flagstaff  Hill,  Colwyn  Bay      14 

,,     ,,           ,,         Foots  Cray  Place        414 

,,                  ,,         Hill,  Hampstead     387 

Kraal,  Berkhamsted       385 

,,     ,,           ,,         Lees  Court    130 

,,     ,,           ,,         Maesruddud      13 

Little  Onn  Hall  405 

,,      ,,            ,,          Roynton  Cottage     418 

,,           ,,         Rushton  Hall       434 

,.     ,,           ,,         Shrublands,  Windermere       383 

The  Grange,  Wraysbury       127 

,,     „           ,,         to  semi-detached  houses    377 

to  small  detached  residence     382 

,,           .,        Warren  House     146 

M     ,,           ,,         Wood,  Devonshire  409 

„     ,,           ,,         Wood  Hall,  Cockermouth     427 

,,     ,,     glade,  Lewiston  Manor      157 

,,     ,,     lily  pond       248 

,,     ,,     rose  garden,  Newton  Green  Hall        147 

,,     showing  grouping  of  house  and  out-buildings    n 

Plane  trees  in  Hyde  Park,  London    348 

Plans  of  groves  of  small  trees        322,  323 

„     of  kitchen  gardens        270,    318,  319 

,,     of  ranges  of  glass      279,  290,  291,  292 

Plantations  in  Park,  Little  Onn  Hall        35° 

Planting  at  Lewiston  Manor     342 

at  Wood,  Devonshire     343 


393 


INDEX     TO     ILLUSTRATIONS— continued. 


Fig.   No. 

Planting  at  Villa  Carlotta     354 

groups  of      346,    347,    348,  349 

,,         how  to  form  surface  of  beds  for            353 

on  Brathay  Craggs,  Windermere    4,  5 

,,         plan,  Little  Onn  Hall        350 

„             ,,       Flagstaff,  Colwyn  Bay      351,  352 

„         suitable      344 

,,         unsuitable     345 

Pleasure  grounds  and  kitchen  garden,  how  to  connect  ...  297 

Ponds  for  bathing       253,  254 

„       for  lilies,     See  Lily  Ponds. 

Poplars,  rightly  placed      344 

wrongly  placed    345 

Post  and  rail  fence     56 

Posts,  finials  for      214 

,,      how  to  bury 213 

Postern  gates       72,    73,    75,    77,    78,    79,  80 


QUALITIES  of  foliage 


(light  and  shade)    364 

(mass)    363 

(silhouette)       362 

(vertical  line)       361 


ROYNTON  Cottage,  gardens  at,  418,  419,  420,  421,  422, 

423,  424,  425, 
Rugby,  Dunchurch  Lodge.     See  Dunchurch  Lodge. 

Rushton  Hall,  gardens  at        434, 

Rustic  bathing  pond      

„      fence      

„       pergola      

steps     266, 

Radiating  avenues      

Ragstone  Bridge  at  Lynmouth        

Railings,  wrought  iron       

Ranges  of  glasshouses,  279,  280,  281,  289,  290,  291,  292, 

293, 

Renaissance  Garden  at  Mentmore       

„  lodges      

Reserve  garden,  Foots  Cray  Place     

Riven  oak  fencing      58,    59,    60, 

Rivington.     See  Roynton  Cottage. 

Rock  garden  in  the  Lake  District      

„  „       stepping  stones  in  

,,       Underley  Hall     

Rock  plants,  accommodation  for,  in  mixed  borders  

Rockwork,  Ballimore     261 

,,  Mount  Stewart    

Rome,  fountain  at      

Rose  arch  and  trellis  screen  for  H.M.  Queen  Alexandra 


arches 


220,    221,    222, 


festoons  at  The  Grange,  Wraysbury 

Rose  Garden,  Little  Onn  Hall    407, 

Newton  Green  Hall      131, 

,,  ,,         Newton  Green  Hall,  plan  of      

,,  ,,         Dunchurch  Lodge,  Rugby     393, 

,,  temple,  Dunchurch  Lodge     

Roses  and  clematis  covering  ugly  walls    

Roynton  Cottage,   Dovecote  at    


426 

435 
253 
57 
194 
268 
321 
1 86 

5° 

294 
7 

17 
142 

61 

265 
269 

363 
270 
404 
262 
239 
376 
295 
55 
408 
132 
147 
394 
190 
368 
233 


SCOTCH  fir  and  silver  birch,  Winter  effect 358 

Scotch  firs  on  Brathay  Crags,  Windermere     4,  5 

Screen  of  rose  arches     222 

Screens  of  trellis     215,    216,    217,    218,  219 

Seat  curved      Iog 

Seats      226,  227,  228,  229,  230,  231,  232 

Section   through   clipped   hedges        329,  330,  331,  332 

(lrives    IO3_  IO4 

fruit  wall  3OI 


Section  through  glasshouses     282,      283,     284,     285,    286, 

grounds,  Little  Onn  Hall    

hedge  and  herbaceous  border    333, 

, ,  , ,         hedge  on  cop     

paths       164,  165, 

, ,  , ,         steps     

stone  edging  for  paths    

,,  ,,         terraces        

,,         typical  site      

valley,   showing  grading       

,,  ,,         wall  for  rock  plants    271, 

,,  ,,  ,,    garden         

Sections  showing  terrace  wall  and  grass  bank     

,,  ,,      construction  of  ponds         

,,  ,,      drainage  of  grass  banks    

Semi-circular  kitchen  garden    

Service  road,  junction  of,  with  drive     

Seville,  gardens  of  Marie  of  Padilloa     

Shelters  in  carriage  courts     45, 

,,          Roynton  Cottage        420, 

Shepherd  and  Shepherdess  statues    196, 

Shrublands,  Windermere,  gardens  at    383, 

,,  ,,  postern  gate  at     

terraces  at      

Silver  birch  and  Scotch  fir.  Winter  effect    

Skibo  Castle,   gateway  at      

Slate  rock,  Alpine  garden  on       

Small  detached  residence,  gardens  for  379,  380,  381, 

Snowy  mespilus  against  a  background  of  hollies        

Soil  beds,  how  to  form  surface  of      

Sondes,  Earl.     See  Lees  Court. 

Span-roofed  glasshouses,  sections  through  285,  286, 

Spanish  Chestnut    

,,        gates,   antique    75, 

Sparrow  bath       

Split  larch  fence      

Spreading  steps   120,  121,  122,  123, 

Staging  for  glasshouses      

Stepping  stones  in  a  rock  garden       

Stone  edging  for  paths,   section  through        

Statuary    195,   ig6,   197,   198,   199,   201, 

Steps    120,    121,    122,    123,    124,    125, 

,,        sections  through      

Stirling,   lodge  at     

Stone  and  brick  paving     

coping    63,     64,     65, 

edging  to  grass  walk     

, ,       seat    

Stream  with  rock  walk,  Ballimore,  Argyll   

Suburban  residence,  gardens  for      385, 

Summer-house  and  gate  combined      

at  end  of  terrace      

,,  Cringlemire,   Windermere     

Foots  Cray  Place      

,,  Montacute       

,,  in  same  style  as  mansion     177,   179, 

,,  Roynton  Cottage       

with  Loggia 

,,  Wood,   Devonshire        412, 

Wood  hall,  Cockermouth      

Summer-houses  175,  176,  177,  178,  179,  180, 

181,    182,    183, 

Sundial  Court,  Dunchurch  Lodge        

Sundial,  Wood   hall,  Cockermouth 

Sundials     205,     206,     207, 

Support  for  glasshouse  staging    

Surface  of  soil  bed,  how  to  finish      

Survey  and  design  for  country  house  and  garden      

Swamp  garden.     See  Bog  Garden. 

Swimming  Baths    253, 


No 

287 

406 

334 
338 
1  66 

H5 
306 

1  08 

12 
*54 

2/2 
267 
112 
255 


90 
202 

44 
423 
197 

384 

73 

268 

358 

74 
265 
382 
359 
353 

287 

35<5 
76 

243 
57 
124 
288 
269 
306 
204 
126 

115 
26 

159 
66 

159 
232 
404 
386 

71 
176 
182 

152 

170 
1  80 
421 
183 
413 
433 

184 

395 
428 

234 
288 

353 

10 

254 


394 


INDEX     TO     ILLUSTRATIONS— continued. 


Fig.   No. 

TANKS,  lead  209,  210 

Tea-house  at  end  of  glade,  Wood,  Devonshire        412 

Foots  Cray  Place        152 

Temples,   garden.     See  Summer-houses. 

Terra-cotta  vase      208 

Terrace  steps      120,    121,    122,    123,    124,    125,  126 

Terrace  walls    118,  119 

covered  with  climbers      112,  370 

in  brick       116,  117 

Terraced  effect  at  Lees  Court,   Faversham        128 

,,      on  a  steep  hillside      no 

Terraces.    Abovebeck,   Grasmere      113,  114 

Dalham  Hall,  near  Newmarket       175 

Dunchurch  Lodge    396 

Foots  Cray  Place     415 

The  Hill,  Hampstead    390,  391 

Rushton  Hall       435 

section  through        108 

,,          Wrightwick  Manor       6 

Thatched  fruit  room       317 

Thornton  Manor,   canal  at    257 

gatehouse  at     81,  82 

kitchen  garden  at      305,  319 

,,                ,,        kitchen  garden  door  at          300 

Three-quarter  span  glasshouses,  sections  through     284 

Tile  paving,   designs  for     161 

Topiary  at  Levens  Hall     3 

Tower  and  loggia,   Roynton  Cottage       422 

Treatment  of  old  walls        136,  137,  138 

Trees,  groups  of    346,  347,  348,  349 

,,        how  to  plant  in  avenues     83,  84,  85 

,,       in  tubs        223,  224,  225 

Treillage  at  The  Hill,  Hampstead       195 

Trellis          215,    216,    217,    218,  219 

,,       screen  and  rose  arches  for  H.M.  Queen  Alexandra  376 

,,           ,,        at  The  Hill,   Hampstead  195 

Trinity  College,  Oxford,  lime  walk  at      325,  326 

Tubs  for  trees        223,  224,  225 

Typical  site,   designs  for         10 

sections  through      12 

UGLY  walls  covered  with  roses  and  clematis     368 

Unclimbable  fencing  and  hedge       335 

Underground  fruit  room       315,  316 

Underley  Hall,   bog  garden       264 

,,     rock  garden     263 

Undulating  ground,  sections  shewing  treatment      154 

Unsightly  back  premises,  how  to  screen       277 


VASE  of  terra-cotta       208 

Vases        208,  211,  212 

,,       of  lead      211,  212 

Verandah  at  The  Hill,  Hampstead        171,  172 

to  neo-classic  house     173 

Verrocchio,   fountain  by     246 

Vertical  sundial       234 

Victorian  gardening,  Broughton  Castle      8 

Villa  Carlotta,  azaleas  at      354 

gate  piers  at     16 

,,     Garden  at  Whitehill,  Berkhamsted       355 

,,            ,,       at  Windermere    377 

Vineries,  sections  through        282,  284 

Vistas,  formation  of,  in  old  gardens     137,  138 

,,      through  coppice  wood         155,  156,  157 


Fig.  No. 

WALK  paved  with  bricks         304 

,,         with  carnation  beds     139 

Walks  at  Mount  Stewart      169 

junctions  of  167,  168 

,,       paved     159,  160,  161,  162,  163 

sections  through        164,  165,  166 

sections  through,  edgings  for      306 

turfed      155,   156,  157 

woodland,  at  Mount  Stewart      262 

Wall  and  grass  bank  compared       m 

,,     fountain  at  Hannaford    249 

,,     fountains   246,  247,  249,  252 

,,     garden  at  Wood   266 

,,     gardens,  sketch  showing  construction 267,  271,  272 

Walls.     See  Fences. 

Walmer  Place,   gate  at       75 

Warren  House,  Hayes,   Kent,  gardens  at     146 

Water  lily  ponds.     See  Lily  Ponds. 

White  broom    360 

Whitehill,  Berkhamsted,  villa  garden  at   355 

Wild  garden,   Foots  Cray  Place       273 

"  Willows,"   Ashton-on-Ribble,   garden  at      105 

,,                    ,,                 ,,         gate  with  bells        68 

Windermere,  planting  on  Brathay  Crags      4,  5 

Wing  walls,  shapes  of    37 

Winter  effect  of  Scotch  fir  and  silver  birch     358 

Wolverhampton,   conservatory  in  West  Park   274 

,,                  East  Park      260 

Wood  and  iron  espaliers    307,  313 

,,     stone  fence     51,  52,  54 

Wood,  Devonshire,   bridge  at       187 

carriage  court  at     22 

,,                    ,,           climbers  at    365,  366 

,,                    ,,           entrances  at     28,  31 

,,                    ,,           gardens  at  409,  410,  411,   412,  413 

,,                    ,,           planting  at       343 

,,                    ,,           wall  fountain  at      247 

wall  garden  at     266 

Wood  Hall,  Cockermouth,  garden  at,  427,  428,  429,  430, 

43i,  432,  433 

Wooden  balustrade  to  brick  wall        112 

,,         bridge  at  Graythwaite  Hall     189 

fences       55,  56,  57,  58,  59,  60,  61 

gates      69 

seats      226,  227,  228,  229,  230,  231 

Woodland   glades       155,  156,  157 

,,           walks,  Mount  Stewart    169,  262 

Wraysbury,  The  Grange,  rose  festoons  at    55 

Wrightwick  Manor      6 

Wrought  iron  gates       70,  75,  76 

,,         ,,     Dunchurch  Lodge 395 

,,           ,,         ,,     Graythwaite  Hall        400 

,,           ,,     railings    50 

Wych  Cross,  climber-covered  terrace  walls       370 

,,           ,,       distant  view  of    9 

,,           ,,       glasshouses  at      280 

,,       kitchen  garden  at        280,  298 

,,           „       pergola  at     191 

lily  pond       240 

YEWS,  clipped       339,  340 

Young  oaks,  grouping  of    347 

Yulan  growing  over  a  house    369 


395 


GENERAL  INDEX. 


Page 

ABEKDEENSHIRE,  walling  in      61 

Accessibility  and  the  motor-car  25 

Acroliths *56 

,,        at  Palais  Royal,  Brussels    159 

.^Esthetic  considerations  in  drive  planning        75 

possibilities  of  hedges       255 

of  the  kitchen  garden        233 

„         purpose  of  terraces       87 

„         value  of  carriage  drives      69 

Aids  to  choice  of  material  for  planting    266 

Alleys  of  yew       255 

Alpine  gardens     208 

,,           ,,         construction  of    209 

Altitude  of  site    23 

Amateur's  glasshouse      230 

American  kitchen  garden       244 

Ancestral  domain,   gardens  to       349 

Ancient  dovecotes       17° 

Applied  sculpture    15° 

Approach  to  carriage  court      80 

Aquatic  plants,    lists  of    325 

„             ,,         ponds  for    187 

for  fountains     183,  186 

Arbours     141 

Arches  for  roses 166 

Architects,  domestic.      (See  Domestic  architects). 

Architecture  and  open  lawns       118 

,,             of  house  and  terrace  to  harmonise     94 

Arrangement  of  herbaceous  plants     109 

,,              of  plants  in  the  rock  garden       211 

,,             of  trees,  Downing  on     276 

,,               ,,     ,,       in  avenues        72 

,,               ,,     ,,       Marnock  on      276 

Art  and  the  garden    19 

Artificial  rockwork      197,  201 

at  Baltimore,  Argyll       359 

,,                ,,           objections  to    203 

,,        undulations     125 

Ashton-on-Ribble,  gate  at     64 

Ashton-on-Trent,  small  canal  at     192 

Aspect  of  the  kitchen  garden       234 

„        of  tennis  lawns      123 

Asphalt  walks      132 

Athelhampton  Hall,  drive  at        70,  73 

Author's  garden,  design  for      331 

Avenues       69,  71 

„         at  Chelsea  Hospital    72 

,,         contours  of       71 

double       72 

„         green 251 

„         pleached    73 

pollarded       72 

radiating       251 

,,         Repton  on    71 

,,         trees  for 72 

Aviaries     248 


Balustrades        61 , 

Banks  and  sides  of  drives    

grass.     See  Grass  banks. 

Basins  for  fountains        

Bathing  facilities     

ponds 

Battersea  Park,  lake  at     

Beauchamp,   Earl,  gardens  for     

Beckett,   garden  pavilion  at      

Beds.     See  Flower  beds. 

for  fruit  trees,  how  to  make       

for  glasshouses     

Belcher,   Mr.,   on  trellis       

Berkhamsted,   gardens  at       

Bird-baths     

Blank  walls  in  conservatories       

Blickling  Hall,   carriage  court  at     

,,  ,,       terraces  at    

Board  irons  for  fruit  walls       

Boat  houses     149, 

Bog  gardens     

,,  ,,          list  of  plants  for     

Boilers  for  greenhouses      

Borde,  Dr.  Andrew     

Borders.     See  Flower  beds. 

,,         for  fruit  trees    

herbaceous,  the  placing  of     

,,         to  paths      

Bothy,   placing  of    

Bower  walks     

Bowers  of  roses 

Bowling  greens     

Box,  clipped     

Bracken     

Breadth  of  walks    

Brick  and  tile  coping     

,,     paving        

steps       

walls       

Brickwork  for  glasshouses     

Bridge  at  Baltimore,   Argyll       

,,         ,,  Chatsworth     

,,  Graythwaite  Hall      

,,   Kearsney  Court     

,,         ,,  Mount  Stewart      

,,  Wilton     

,,  Wood,  Devonshire    


Bridges 


BADMINTON      5 

triple  avenue  at      251 

Balanced  effect,  how  obtained     141 

Baltimore,  Argyll,    bridge  at     I4y 

description  of  grounds     357 

„               ,,         stream  at    197 

Baltimore,  U.S.A.,  lodges  at    41 


of  iron    

,,        of  stone      

of  wood      

over  public  ways      

palladian     

,,        rustic       

superstructures  to    

Broad  Oaks,  Accrington,  drive  to      

Brown  and  his  followers,   Loudon  on     

„          ,,       ,,          ,,  Price  on     

Brown,   "Capability"       6, 

and  scale  in  planting        

Brussels,  Palais  Royal       

Buckinghamshire,   gardens  in        

Burying  oak  posts       

Business  promises,  how  arranged  in  relation  to  garden  ... 
Bute,   Marquis  of.     See  Mount  Stewart. 


Page 
94 
84 

182 

!?! 

188 

195 
in 

5 

238 
226 
164 

336 

182 

218 

48 

91 

238 

171 

204 

325 

221 

4 

238 
114 

134 

246 

255 
1 66 
123 
260 
127 
130 
61 

131 

100 
61 
224 
M7 
147 
148 
148 
148 

147 

147 
H5 
147 
H7 
148 
149 

T47 
148 

148 

78 

ii 

ii 

16 

268 

159 

34 

if>3 

334 


396 


GENERAL    INDEX— continued. 


Page 

CANAL  at  Ashton-on-Trent    192 

,,         water  levels  of    192 

Canals,  construction  of      192 

formal      19° 

"'Capability  Brown"     6,  16 

,,                   „          and  scale  in  planting     268 

Carnation  gardens       m 

walks       112 

Carnegie,  Andrew,  Esq.,  gate  for        64 

Carriage     Court  at  Dunchurch  Lodge        347 

double  approach  to      81 

to  classical  mansion     80 

,,               ,,        ,,    irregularly  shaped  building  80 

,,    "L"  shaped  building    80 

,,               ,,       Wood,  Devonshire    80 

Carriage  courts        48 

,,       and  entrances    37 

,,                ,,       double      49 

,,       junction  with  drives     80 

Carriage  drives.     See  Drives 69 

Cascades    187 

Catchpits  for  drives    83 

Caves     206 

Cement  walks       132 

Centralization  in  planning     29 

Chalk  as  a  material  for  drives    82 

Channels  for  drives 83 

Chatsworth,  bridge  at        147 

Chelsea  Hospital,  avenues  at  72 

Children,  particular  usefulness  of  summer-house  for 144 

Choice  of  a  site       23 

,,        ,,   material  for  planting        266 

Cisterns,  lead        161 

Classic  architecture  and  lawns     122 

architecture  and  planting    268 

„      buildings,  verandahs  to    40 

mansion,  carriage  court  for     80 

,,      renaissance  mansion,  gardens  to    368 

Clevehowe,  Windermere,  gardens  at       354 

Climbers 305 

Climbing  plants,  how  to  build  wall  garden  for       207 

Clipped  trees    259 

Clipping  hedges   256 

Clothes  lines,  more  aesthetic  substitutes  for     333 

Cobble  paving      83 

Colour  effects  in  paving 101 

Columns  detached       159 

Colwyn  Bay,  gardens  at    34 

,,     lodges  at       41 

Compactness  in  planning    33,  43 

Compost  ground      245 

Conifers,  hardy,  list  of      288 

Connection  of  carriage  drive  with  walks       134 

,,            ,,  formal  and  informal  walks     133 

Conservatories 215 

,,                blank  walls  in     218 

„                examples,  various  sizes     217 

,,                 grotto-work  in     218 

,,               paving  for    218 

Construction  of    kitchen  garden      236 

„               ,,  steps    100 

Continuity  of  effort    19 

Contours  of  avenues       71 

,,         ,,  informal  lawns      125 

Co-operation  between  domestic  and  landscape  architects  16 

Compost  grounds     227 

Coping   for  kitchen  garden  walls     238 

„        various  forms  of       61 

Cops  of  earth  for  hedges      259 

Corbels,  Windermere,  designs  for  gardens     331 


Page 

Cost  of  garden  upkeep       29 

,,     „  terrace  walls      92 

Country  seat,  gardens  to      3^3 

Courtyards    48 

Covered  ways       152 

Crazy  paving        132.  207 

Croquet       104,  123 

Cross-fall  on  terraces      91 

Cross  levels  of  drives     84 

Crowning  drives       83 

Cul3-de-sac    1^3 

Curbs  for  fountain  basins   183 

Curved  drives  and  privacy        77 

practical  planning  of        75 

„       walks,  when  to  use      355 

,,       wing  walls,  method  of  designing      48 

Curves  in  plan  and  in  perspective      77 

,,       method  of  visualising        48 

DALHAM  Hall,  garden-houses  at       141 

Dark  arbour  at  Melbourne  Hall      255 

Dartmoor,  a  garden  near      363 

Deception,  legitimate  and  illegitimate  in  the  garden     ...  204 

Decorative  treatment  of  water    175 

Deciduous  shrubs,  list  of      291 

Deeside,  walling  on  the     61 

Definition  of  landscape  architecture       15 

Design  of  glasshouses     221 

of  trellis  screens    164 

,,      of  yew  hedges    255 

Designing  drives      71 

Detached  columns       159 

Devonshire,  a  garden  in    363 

Different  classes  of  drives     71 

Dipping  wells        186 

,,  ,,     in  kitchen  gardens    241 

Disposition  of  plantations     269 

Distinction  between  rock  and  wall  gardens      208 

Domestic  and  landscape  architects,  co-operation  between 

16,  27 

,,         architects  and  garden  design     18 

Doors,  garden       64 

Doorways  for  kitchen  gardens     237 

Double  approach  to  carriage  court     8t 

,,       avenues   72 

,,        drives       78 

lodges      39 

Dovecotes    1 70,  3 78 

Downing  on  arrangement  of  trees      276 

Drain  pipes,  substitutes  for      128 

Drainage  of  grass  banks    123 

,,  ,,  kitchen  gardens     235 

,,  ,,  lawns       128 

Drains,  how  to  lay     128 

Drive,  advantage  of  dispensing  with,  in  small  garden  ...  331 

at  Athelhampton  Hall     70,  73 

at  Broad  Oaks,  Accrington     78 

,,        for  Arthur  Roberts,  Esq 70 

to  town  residence      78 

Drives     31,  69 

,,        aesthetic  value  of       69 

banks  at  sides  of       84 

catchpits  for       83 

,,        channels  for    83 


connections  with  walks 
constructed  of  chalk     .. 

cross  levels  of     

crowning       

curved         


134 

82 

84 

83 

75 

curved,  and  privacy      77 


397 


GENERAL     INDEX— continued. 


Page 

Drives,  different  classes  of     71 

double       78 

,,        early  Victorian       7° 

formal,  loss  of  perspective  on    74 

,,         gradients  of     7^ 

,,         grouting  for     82 

,,        importance  of  scale  in  designing        71 

„         informal        74 

,,         junctions  of     77 

,,         junction  with  carriage  court        80 

,,         materials  for        81 

on  peaty  sub-soils      82 

pitching  for     81 

,,        rolling 82 

,,         sections  for      7° 

„        sub-surface,  material  for      82 

„        symmetrically  planned      73 

,,                     „                 ,,         lodges  for       74 

„        through  exceptional  scenery    70 

,,        unnecessarily  long      7° 

„        widths  of     84 

Dunchurch  Lodge,  description  of  grounds     343 

entrance  lodges  at    41 

,,        fruit  room  at     244 

,,       gates  at       46 

,,               ,,       kitchen  garden  at     240 

Dutch  gardens  in  England   5 

Dwarf  topiary      262 

EARLY  Victorian  and  Georgian  planting 265 

„             „         drives     70 

East  Coast,  gardens  on     23 

Earth  cops  for  hedges   259 

Edgings  for  grass  glades  128 

,,     kitchen  garden  walks      240 

,,     paths      134 

Effort,  continuity  of  19 

Eighteenth  century  gardening 6 

Elaborate  water-works  out  of  place  in  English  gardens  176 

Engineers  and   landscape  architects  methods  contrasted  75 

England,  history  of  gardening  in    3 

English  gardens  in  foreign  countries      121 

Entrance  and  first  impressions    37 

,,           ,,     lodges,  arrangement  of    39 

,,         drives       31 

Entrance  gates,  large     62 

lodges  37 

Entrances   and  carriage  courts     37 

„           and  provision  for  motor-cars  79 

,,            oblique  79 

,,           safety  of    79 

„           scale  of      37 

„            wing  walls  to        47 

Espaliers  at  Foots  Cray  Place     243 

Espaliers  for  fruit   241 

„         Wood,  Devonshire    243 

Evelyn  on  fountains  185 

Evergreen  shrubs,  list  of  291 

Examples  of  conservatories  of  various  sizes     217 

,,     garden  design  329 

,,          ,,     kitchen  gardens        244 

,,          ,,     terraces      qo 

Exceptional  sites     3. 

Expanding  lattice I05 

Extent  of  garden    30 

,,         ,,   kitchen  garden     234 

FARFIELD  house  near  Bolton^  Abbe^y 43 

Farmsteads  converted  into  country  seats      m 

Farnelli,   fountains  by,  at   Hampton  Court  185 


Page 

Fashion  and  taste  contrasted  19 

Fashions  in  garden  design,  ruin  wrought  by  388 

Fences    55 

,,        destruction  of,  condemned  56 

,,         local  character  in  57 

,,         wrought  iron  62 

Fencing  in  park  plantations     275 

Fencing,  lattice    59 

for  wild  garden  58 

of  oak  cord-wood  58 

,,          of  peeled  larch   58 

of  riven  oak    59 

,,          of  strained  wire      57 

unclimbable               57,  257 

Fernery      212 

Filbert  walks    262 

Finials      161 

First  impressions  gained  from  entrance     37 

Fittings  of  summer-houses    144 

Flagged  paving    13* 

Flagstaff,  Colwyn  Bay,  gardens  at     34 

,,                 ,,         ,,      glasshouses  at       230 

kitchen  garden  at           234 

Flower  beds      107 

in  formal  and  informal  schemes      10* 

on  the  terrace 101 

,,       size  and  shape  of    108,  109 

gardens    107 

,,           ,,          mistaken  use  of      118 

Flowering  shrubs,  list  of  291 

Fog,  sites  free  from        23 

Foots  Cray  Place,  bowling  green  at  123 

,,       „       description  of  grounds     368 

„       espaliers  at     243 

Forcing  houses,  heating  of —  221 

Forest  trees,  small  groups  of 270 

Form  and  shape  of  flower  beds      101 

Formal  and  informal  lawns      •....  22 

and  informal  walks,  connection  of       135 

and  natural  styles  contrasted        9 

,,       avenues 71 

,,       canals 190; 

drives,  loss  of  perspective  in     74 

hedges 255 

Fountain  basins       182 

kerbs  for        183 

,,             ,,         oval            — 183; 

statuary       177 

tazzae      182 

Fountains 176, 

Fountains,  aquatic  plants  for     183,  186; 

,,           at  Hampton  Court     185, 

,,           examples  of      i8.ii 

,,            in  exposed  positions       177 

,,           overflow  for      184, 

„           plumber's  work  for    183 

„           small,  as  bird  baths       182 

„            statuary  for      156 

„           wall    184 

,,            water  lilies  for i8& 

„            water  supply   for     183,  185 

Frame  grounds     226,  245 

„        ground,   Wych  Cross 24?5 

Frames  and  pits      22fr 

Freeman,  G.  M.,  Esq.,  gardens  for    104,  131 

French  fruit  gardens      244 

French  treillage        167 

Fruit  borders,  how  to  make    238 

espaliers 241 

gardens,    French 244 


39« 


GENERAL    INDEX— continued. 


Page 

Fruit-houses      218 

Fruit  rooms  244 

,,  trees  247 

,,  trees,  how  to  plant  238 

,,  walls,  board  irons  for  238 

,,  ,,  doorways  in  237 

,,  ,,  wiring  238 

Furnishings  for  the  garden  155 

,,  of  the  summer-house  144 

Furniture  for  conservatories     218 


GAMES,  lawns  for     

Gangways,  covered     

Garden  design,  examples  of     

,,  ,,       history  of      

,,  ,,       practice  of        

,,       doors        

,,       for  Spring  bulbs        

,,        furniture      

,,       houses      

,,       in  granite   

little  gates  for       

,,       on  a  hillside       

ornaments       

,,  ,,          misuse  of      

„       pavilion,  oldest  in  England        

,,       seats     

„       to  a  small  detached  residence 

,,       upkeep,  cost  of     

,,       walks       

Gardening  and  art      

,,  monastic        

Gardener's  cottage,  placing  of     

,,          potting  sheds       

Gardens,  Alpine    

,,  at   Ballimore,    Argyll        

,,  ,,    Foots  Cray  Place    

„  ,,    Lees  Court,  Faversham     

„    Little  Onn  Hall,  Staffordshire 

,,  „    Roynton  Cottage    

„    Rushton  Hall       

,,  ,,    Windsor  Castle    

,,  ,,    Wood,  Devonshire      

,,    Wood  Hall,  Cockermouth     

bog     

„         extent  of,  how  determined       

„         for  a  larger  detached  residence 

,,  ,,   a  suburban  residence       

,,  ,,    carnations      

„    G.  M.  Freeman,  Esq.,   K.C. 

,,    hard-wood  plants     

„  ,,    one  species  of  plant        

,,  ,    roses 


in  Buckinghamshire        

„  Dutch  style     

,,  Italian  style        

,,  "natural"  style    

kitchen      

made  from  farm  enclosures      

medieval        

Norman         

of  the  eighteenth  century     

,,  Marie  de  Padilloa,  Seville 

on  a  flat  site          

paved     

Renaissance      

rock        

Roman 

to  a  classic  renaissance  mansion 
„  a  large  town  house       


31, 


104, 


101 

152 

329 

3 

!5 

64 

212 

155 
I4I 

363 
65 
381 
155 
155 

5 

168 

33i 
29 

121 

19 

4 

246 
219 

208 

357 
368 
104 
359 
373 
388 

3 

363 
381 
204 

3° 
334 
336 
in 
104 

112 
109 
IIO 

34 
5 
4 
5 

233 
in 

3 
3 

0 

159 
359 
131 

4 

201 

3 

368 
338 


Gardens  to  an  ancestral  domain     

,,  ,,  semi-detached  houses    

,,         too  flat  for  a  terrace     

wall        

,,          wild        

Gate  at   Ashton-on-Ribble        

,,     ,,     Hartpury  House      

„     ,,     Shrublands,  Windermere       

,,     „     Wraysbury        

,,     for  Andrew  Carnegie,  Esq.,  D.C.L. 

piers,  design  of     

,,         ,,       in  local  materials      

Gatehouse  at  Thornton  Manor    

Gatehouses        

Gates      

at  Dunchurch  Lodge      

,,  Little  Onn  Hall      

,,        ,,  Wood,  Devonshire      

for  little  gardens     

,,       in  wood  and  iron  combined     

,,       lych-gates      

,,       postern       

,,       wooden       

,,       wrought  iron     

General  principles  of  planting      

Georgian  and  Early  Victorian  planting     ... 

Glades,  woodland        

Glasshouse,  small  for  an  amateur       

Glasshouses       , 

as  tenants'  fixtures      

at  the  Flagstaff,  Colwyn  Bay 
,,    Holehird,  Windermere 

,,  ,,    Windermere      

,,  ,,    Wych  Cross      

,,  examples  of        

,,  for  forcing      

heating  of       

,,  height  of         

,,  internal  fittings  of        

„  lean-to     

opening  gear  for       

paving  for      

,,  planning  of     

slope  of  roof      

,,  soil  beds  for       

,,  span-roofed     

,,  staging  for      

sub-structure  for       

,,  three-quarter  span        

,,  water  supply  to        

Gradients  of  drives         

,,         how  to  set  out      

Grass  banks   and  walls  compared       

,,  ,,       steps  in     

,,  „       drainage  of  

,,  ,,       to  terraces        

edgings  to  paths     

,,       in  the  wild  garden     

,,       seed        

Grass,  substitutes  for     

Gravel  walks        

Graythwaite  Hall,  bridge  at     

,,  ,,     description  of  grounds 

,,  ,,     terraces  at      

Green  avenues     

Greenhouses.     See  Glasshouse*. 

Greenwich  Park,  London       

,,  time  and  sundial  time       

« 

Grotto-work  in  the  conservatory     •. 

Grottos 


,  206, 


55- 


121,     126, 


Page 
349 
329 
104 
207 

201 

64 
64 
64 
64 
64 

45 
45 
49 
93 
62 
46 
46 
46 

65 

46 

64 

64 

46 

45 

279 

265 

252 

230 

215 
224 
230 
229 
230 
227 
227 
225 

220 
223 
225 
224 
226 
226 
2IQ 
223 
226 
224 
225 
224 
224 
227 
76 

75 

92 

98 

123 

92 

'34 
205 
129 
127 
132 
148 
349 
91 
251 

5 
1 60 

218 
206 


399 


GENERAL     INDEX— continued. 


Page 

Grounds  to  a  new  country  seat      343 

Grouping  of  service  buildings      43 

Grouting  for  drives     82 

Groves  of  small  trees         253 

Guards  for  trees      276 

HA-HA  fences     5° 

Haddon,  terraces  at  91 

Hague,  Palace  of  Peace,  canal  at  I91 

Halsey,  Mrs.,  gardens  for i°4 

Hampton  Court,  fountains  at 185 

Hard  wooded  plants,  gardens  for  112 

Hardy  climbers,  list  of      3°5 

conifers,  list  of       288 

perennials,  list  of       3X5 

roses,  list  of    3TO 

Harmonious  effects,  how  to  obtain  in  planting  267 

Harmony  between  terrace  and  residence  necessary    94 

Hartpury  house,  gate  at        64 

Health  and  choice  of  site     24. 

Heating  chambers       219 

for  glasshouses      226 

glasshouses 22° 

Hedges       55 

Hedges,   clipped,  objections  to  them  considered      256 

formal    255 

how  to  clip      256 

,,         materials  for        257 

of  more  than  one  tree      259 

,,          on  earth  cops       259 

openings  in  259 

,,         thorn,  how  to  plant  259 

Height  of  terrace  walls     9* 

Hepton,  Sir  Wilfred,  garden  for     118 

Herbaceous  beds,  borders  for  rock  plants  to       210 

borders,   how  to  plant      109 

„                 ,,            the  placing  of   114 

Herring-boning  drains     128 

Highland  garden      357 

Highway,  and  junction  with  drive     79 

„          houses  close  to            43,  52 

Hill,  Hampstead,  description  of  grounds  338 

,,             ,,            pergola  at  150 

Hill,  Thomas    4 

Hillside  garden    381 

History  of  garden  design 3 

Hogg,  on  gardens  for  one  species       109 

Holehird,  Windermere,  glasshouses  at   229 

Hot  water  heating  for  glasshouses      220 

installations  to  glasshouses      220 

House  and  terrace  to  harmonize     94 

House  planning  and  landscape  architect's  requirements  29 

,,      the  placing  of      27 

Houses  close  to  highway                  43,  52 

Hypericum  calycinum  as  a  substitute  for  grass      127 

IDEALS  of  the  landscape  architect 20 

Imagination,  lack  of,  in  modern  planting  265 

Importance  of  scale  in  designing  drives  71 

Individuality  of  the  site  30 

Informal  and  formal  lawns  122 

„  ,,  walks,  connection  of  133 

,,  drives  74 

lawns  125 

,,  treatment  of  water  193 

Inigo  Jones  5 

Insectiverous  plants  212 

Internal  fittings  of  glasshouses  225 


summer-houses 


144 


Inverary,  gardens  near  357 


Page 

Iris  gardens 212 

Iron  bridges      147 

,,    fences  (wrought)     62 

, ,    seats      168 

,,     unclimbable  fencing  257 

Italian  style  of  gardening     4 

Ivy  as  an  edging  to  paths  134 

,,  a  substitute  for  grass  127 

JOINING  drives  and  service  roads 77 

Jones,  Inigo      5 

Junction  of  drive  and  highway        77,  79 

,,         „       ,,      with  carriage  court       80 

KEARSNEY  Court,   Nr.   Dover,   canal  at     191 

Kemp,  Edward    n 

Kerbs  for  fountain  basins     183 

Kew  Gardens,  lake  at        193 

Kitchen  garden,  aspect  of     2^4 

at  Flagstaff,  Colwyn  Bay       234 

at  Little  Onn  Hall       234 

dipping  wells  for       186 

in  America      244 

shape  of      235 

Thornton  Manor        245 

,,              ,,         walks       240 

,,              ,.         walls,  wiring       238 

Wych  Cross  Place    234 

Kitchen  gardens       31,  233 

,,              ,,         aesthetic  possibilities  of       233 

at  Dunchurch  Lodge       240 

,,              .,         construction  of      236 

,,         dipping  wells  for      241 

doorways  for     237 

,,         drainage  of    235 

espaliers  in     241 

,,              ,,         examples  of        244 

placing  of 233,  234 

,,              ,,         size  of     234 

,,         soil  for    236 

,,              „         walls  for     237 

,,              ,,         water  supply  for      241 

Klompje  bricks  for  paving       131 

Kraal,  Berkhamsted,  gardens  at         336 

LAIDLAW,  Sir  Robert,  gardens  for      114 

Lakes,  artificial    193 

Lake  at  Battersea  Park    195 

Landscape  gardeners,  destruction  of  Tuder  gardens  by  388 

Lake  at  Kew  Gardens       193 

,,      District  garden      354 

old  walls  in        210 

,,      in  the  East  Park,  Wolverhampton      195 

Lakes,  planting  round        196 

,,       wrongly  placed      196 

Land  drains.     See  Drains. 

Landscape  and  domestic  architects,  co-operation  be- 
tween         16,  27 

Landscape  architects'  and  engineers'  methods  contrasted  75 

architecture  denned        15 

,,           architects,  functions  of      i& 

requirements  in  house  planning  ...  29 

the  training  of        18 

architecture  and  the  lay  mind    18 

l(                    ,,              ideals  governing  20 

"  Landscape   Architecture,"    The  term  as  usually  under- 
stood         16 

gardeners  of  the  eighteenth  century      6 

gardening,  modern  revival  in       n 

"tricks"   in          69 


4OO 


GENERAL    INDEX— continued. 


Large   entrance  gates      i 

,,        town  garden     

Lattice   fencing     

portable       

Laundry  green,  aesthetic  substitute  for  clothes  lines 

Lawns       

,,       a  great  national  asset       

and  classic  architecture        

,,        drainage  of      

,,        for  bowls      

,,        for  croquet       

, ,        for  games     

for  tennis     

,,        formal  and  informal      

,,       informal        

,,       new,  how  to  mow     

on  very  dry  sites       

,,       seed  for        

soil  for 

sunk      

turf  for     

undulating 

Lay  mind,  the,  and  landscape  architecture      

Lead  cisterns    

statuary       

,,      urns      

Lean-to  glasshouses     . . . : 

Le  Notre        

Lees  Court,   Faversham,  sunk  gardens  at         

Levels  of  terraces,  how  to  set  out     

Levels  for  drives      

Little  gardens,   gates  for        

Little  Onn  Hall,    gates  at    

,,        ,,       kitchen  garden  at       

Staffordshire,    description  of  grounds  . . . 

,,        ,,  ,,  moat  at       

sunk  gardens  at        

Local    character  in   fences 

,,       factors  influencing  planting     252, 

material,  effective  use  of        45, 

materials,  use  of  in  pergolas        

Lodges       

by  E.  P.  Warren,  Esq 

,,        Flagstaff,  Colwyn  Bay     

harmony  with  surroundings  necessary         

placing  of       

to  symmetrically  planned  drives       

windows  of     

Locality,   choice  of      

Lodges,  double     

Loggias      

Long  flights  of  steps      ; 

Loudon  on  avenues        

Loudon  on  Brown  and  his  followers      

Lych-gates    


5. 


Page 
62 

338 
59 
165 
331 
121 
121 
122 
128 
123 
123 
101 

123 

122 

125 
I30 

125 
129 
129 
104 
129 

125 

18 

161 
156 
161 

224 

190 

104 

88 

75 

65 

46 

234 
359 
188 
10.4 

57 

266 
60 

150 
37 
41 
41 
43 
39 
74 
39 
23 
39 

140 
99 

251 
II 

.64 


MADRESFIELD  Court     in 

Mansion,  the  placing  of     27 

Medieval  gardens     3 

Markham,  Gervase      4,  5 

Marnock,   Robert n 

,,              ,,          on  arrangement  of  trees    276 

Mass  and  scale  in  planting       268 

Masses,   planting  in     109 

Material  for  bridge  building      145 

,,         „  plantations     266 

,,          ,,   drives       81 

,,         ,,  hedges     257 

Mean  and  Solar  time     159 

Mechanical  sundials    160 


Melbourne  Hall,  the  dark  arbour        

Milner,   Edward        

Mist,  sites  free  from       

Misuse  of  garden  ornaments     

,,       of  water  in  the  garden        

Mixed  hedges        

Moat  at  Little  Onn  Hall,  Staffordshire       

Modern  neglect  of  picturesque  planting    

,,        revival  in  landscape  gardening     

Moisture-retaining  hollows     

Monastic  gardening         

,,        ruins  incorporated  with  garden  scheme 

Motor-cars  and  design  of  entrances    

Mount  Stewart,   bridge  at     

„  ,,         rocky  stream  at        

Mowing  new  lawns     

Mountain  home  


1 88, 


Page 

255 

II 

23 

155 
175 
259 
36l 
265 

II 

204 

4 

361 

70 
148 

197 
130- 

373 


NATURAL  and  formal  styles  contrasted     9 

,,           rock  gardens      204 

style  of  gardening         5 

Naturally  treated  lakes      193 

Neglect  of  picturesque  planting       265 

Newton  Green  Hall,  rose  garden  at       118 

Norman  gardening  in  England    3. 

Normanhurst,   St.   John's  wort  at        127 


OAK  and  brick  steps     

, ,     cord-wood       

,,      posts,   burying        

,,  the  best  wood  for  the  garden  

Objections  to  hedges  considered  

Oblique  entrances  

Old  Tudor  garden  restored  

Old  walls,  how  to  treat  in. 

Open-air  dining  rooms  

,,  panels  in  walls  

Opening  gear  for  glasshouses  

Openings  in  hedges  

,,  „  trellis  screens  

Orangeries  and  conservatories  

Orchards  

Ornamental  borders,  planting  of  

Ornaments  for  the  garden  

Outlying  groups  to  plantation  

Overflow  to  fountains  

Overhand  trenching  


PAINTING  garden  furniture       

Palace  of  Peace,  The  Hague,  canal  at 

Palais  Royal,  Brussels       

Palings,   See  Fencing. 

Palladian  bridges     

Paris,  Pare,  Monceau     

Park  plantations          

Paths.     See  Walks. 

Pavilions,  water      

Paving       

,,        colour  effects  in' \      

„       "crazy"     

,,       for  conservatories      

for  glasshouses 

for  kitchen  garden  walks 

,,        for  terraces     

Paxton,  Sir  Joseph         

Paved  walks     

Peach  houses,  heating  of       

,,  ,,       slope  of  roof 

trellis  for    

Peaty  subsoils,   drives  on       


'32, 


163 
162 

25& 

70- 
388 
2O9 

137 

6l 

226 

259 

i6fr 

215 
246 

273 
'55 
270 
184 
236 

163 
191 
159 

147 
159 

274 

172 

131 
101 
207 
218 
226 
240 

100 

II 

131 

221 

223 

225 

82 


401 


GENERAL    INDEX— continued. 


Peeled  larch  fencing  

Peiper,  Mr.  A.  S.  A.,  designs  by  

Perenni  als,  hardy  

Pergola  at  The  Hill,  Hampstead 

,,  in  slate-rock  and  timber  

Pergolas  

,,         expressive  use  of  local  materials  in    

„  rustic  

Perspective,  allowing  for  in  drive  planning  

,,  on  formal  drives  

Pines  and  conifers,  list  of  

Pinetum,  list  of  shrubs  for  

Pitching  

Pits  and  frames  

Placing  of  glasshouses  

,,        of  the  kitchen  garden     233, 

,,        of  suburban  houses      

,,  the  mansion  

Planning,  centralization  in  

,,          compactness  in      

,,  conservatories     

,,          of  glasshouses        

,,  walks  

Plant  houses,  heating  of  

Plantations,  disposition  of  

,,  fencing  

„  framing  vistas  

,,  outlying  groups  to  

„  preparing  ground  for 


Planting 


„         choice  of  material  for      

„         effect  ot  wild  primeval,  how  to  obtain       

,,         for  Winter  effects     

„         fruit  trees       

„         general  rules  for        

„         how  influenced  by  local  conditions      

„         how  rapidly  to  obtain  effect  by       

,,         how  to  obtain  harmonious  effects    

,,         in  masses        

,,         in  masses  of  one  sort      

„         in  straight  lines,  when  permissable      

„         in  the  eighteenth  century       

,,         list  of  flowering  shrubs  for        

,,         near  classical  buildings        

,,         ornamental  borders      

„          restraint  in     

,,         rules  governing      

,,         scale  and  mass  in 

„         study  of  existing  examples        

„  the  rock  garden  

Plants  for  water  gardens  

Play-houses  for  children 

Pleached  avenues  

walks  , 

Pollarded  avenues  

Ponds,  aquatic  plants  for  

,,  for  bathing  

,,  for  water-lilies  

Portable  lattice  

Portal  entrances  

Postern  gates  

Posts,  burying  feet  of  

,,  caps  for  

Potting  sheds  219, 

Practical  planning  of  curved  drives  

Practice  of  garden  design  

Precedent  of  garden  design  

Preparing  ground  for  plantations  

Prescription  for  grass  seed  

Preservation  of  oak  posts  


Page 
58 

43 

315 

150 

336 

149 

15° 

152 

77 

74 

288 

288 

81 

226 

219 

234 

43 

27 

29 

33 

215 

219 

130 

221 
269 

275 
271 
270 
275 
265 
266 
275 
274 
238 

279 
252 
273 
267 
109 
271 
268 

9 

292 
268 
273 
273 
269 
268 

274 
2IO 

325 
144 

73 
252 

72 

325 

188 

187 

165 

39 

64 

163 

163 

226 

75 

15 

3 

275 
129 
163 


Page 

Preserving  individuality         .'....  30 

Price  on  Brown  and  his  followers ....'...  1 1 

Primeval  planting,  how  to  imitate     275 

Privacy  and  curved  drives 77 

Public  paths,   bridges  over        149 

QUARRIES,  disused 204 


RADIATING  avenues        

Ranges  of  glasshouses,   how  to  plan       

Renaissance  gardens        

Repton       

, ,         on  avenues — 

,,  ,,    designing  walks     

,,    scale  in  planting 

Repton's  rules  for  planting 

Reserve  garden        

Restful  effect  of  terrace        

Restraint  in  planting     

Revival  in  landscape  gardening       

Rhodes,  The  Hon.  Cecil,  garden-house  for       

Riven  oak  fencing      

Roads,    public,   bridges  over      

service     69, 

Rock  garden   and  wall  garden,   distinction  between 

,,  ,,       what  to  plant  in     

gardens,  natural    

,,     plants,   how  to  plant       

in  the  herbaceous  border     

Rock-work,  artificial,  see  Artificial  Rockwork. 

Rolling  drives 

Roofs  to  glasshouses,  slope  of     

Rooms,  open  air      

Rose  arches      

, ,      bowers     

,,     garden,  Newton  Green  Hall       

,,     gardens        

,,     screens     

Roses,  lists  of      

Roynton  Cottage,  description  of  grounds      

Ruins,  monastic,  incorporated  with  garden  scheme   

Rules  for  planting       269, 

,,       ,,  ,,       Repton's     

Rushton  Hall,  description  of  grounds        

Rustic  bathing  ponds     

bridges      

,,       pergolas        

summer-house     


SAFETY  of  entrances   

St.  John's  wort  as  a  substitute  for  grass 

Scale  and  mass  in  planting      

of  entrances       

,,     wrong  view  of       

Scenery  of  exceptional  beauty,  and  drives 

Screens  of  roses       

of  trellis      

Sculpture.     See  Statuary. 

Seats      

Sections  for  drive-making     

Sedding  on  individuality  of  site 

Seeds  for  lawns       

Semi-detached  houses,  gardens  for      

Servants,  shelter  for  in  carriage  court  

Service  roads        

Seville,  detached  columns  at        

Shape  of  flower  beds      

, ,      of  kitchen  garden       

Shelters  for  boats        

for  drivers  in  carriage  courts 


69, 


219 

4 
9 

71 

^33 
268 

10 
246 

8? 
-73 

II 
141 

59 
149 

77 
208 

2IO 
204 
207 
2IO 

82 
223 
137 

1 66 
1 66 
118 
no 
1 66 
310 
373 
36i 
279 
10 

338 
190 
149 

152 
142 

70 
127 
268 

37 
268 

70 
1 66 
164 

1 68 
76 

3° 
129 

329 

5° 

77 

159 

108 

235 
171 

5° 


402 


GENERAL     INDEX— continued. 


Shrublands,   Windermere,  gardens  for      

gate  at        

Shrubs,  flowering,   list  of    

tubs  for       

Site,    a  typical      

,,      choice  of      

,,      elevated       

,,      individuality  of      

,.      of  the  wild  garden   

Sites,   exceptional     

Size  of  flower  beds      

,,     of  kitchen  gardens      

Slate  staging  for  glasshouses    

walls  in  the  Lake  District     

Small   detached  residence,  garden  to     

garden  better  without  drives       

gardens,  gates  for       

Soils,  very  light,  how  to  treat    

Solar  and  mean  time     

South  Coast,  gardens  on   

Sowing  lawns       

Span-roof  glasshouses     

Specialisation        

Specialised  wild  gardens        

Specimen  trees,  how  to  plant      

Split  oak  fencing     

Spring  bulb  garden     — 

Staging  for  glasshouses      

Statuary,   applied     

,,          for  water  lily  ponds 

„          placing  of  

Steps      

,,     at  Villa  d'  Este        

,,     in  grass  banks       

,,      various  forms  of        

,,      very  long  flights  of      

widths  of     

Stone  balustrades  for  terraces      

bridges       

„       coping        

edgings  for  grass  walks     

for  kitchen  garden  walks       

„        to  paths         

,,        quarries  old     

,,       seats       

,,       walls      

Stovehouses      

Strained  wire  fencing     

Streams       

,,          plants  for      

Styles  of  gardening,  formal  and  natural  contrasted 

Sub-aquatic  plants      

Subsoi  1        

Substitutes  for  grass      

Sub-structures  for  glasshouses      

Sub-surface  material  for  drives        

Suburban  houses,  placing  of 

residence,  gardens  for      

Successive  floral  displays 

Summer-houses        137, 

,,  internal  fittings  of      

,,  rustic     

Sundials     

mechanical        

to  ascertain  correct  time  by    

Sunk  lawns       

Superstructures  to  bridges  

Surfaces  of  terraces  

Steps,  oak  and  brick   

brick   


197. 


Page 
334 

64 

291 

167 

25 

23 

24 

3° 

202 

34 

1 08 

234 

225 

2IO 

331 

52 

65 
125 

159 
23 

129 

224 
15 

212 

275 

59 
212 
225 
156 

188 

155 
98 

99 
98 

99 

99 

99 

94 

147 

61 

128 

240 

134 
204 
1 68 
60 
225 

57 
205 

325 
9 

325 
24 
127 
224 
82 
43 
336 
315 
141 
144 
142 
159 
1 60 
160 
104 
148 
100 

100 
IOO 


Page 
100 


Steps,  construction  of 

Symmetrically  planned  drives      .................................       73 

lodges  for       ..................       74 


195 


TARN  Hawes  near  Coniston 

Taste  and  fashion  contrasted       .................................  19 

Tasteful  use  of  local  materials    .................................  60 

Tazzae   ........................................  „  .  .•  ......................  182 

Tea  room  ...............................................................  144 

Teak  garden  furniture   ............................................  162 

Tennant's  fixtures,  glasshouses  as  ..............................  224 

Tennis        ...............................................................  104 

Tennis  lawns    .........................................................  125 

tea  rooms  for    ....................................  144 

Terra-cotta  vases     ...................................................  161 

Terrace,  flower  beds  on     ..........................................  101 

steps       ......................................................  98 

walls  and  grass  banks  compared    ,  .................  92 

,  ,         ,  ,          balustraded    ..............  ........................  94 

,,         „          cost  of    .............................................  92 

,,         ,,          height  of    ..........................................  94 

,,         ,,          treatment  of     ....................................  92 

Terraces,  aesthetic  purposes  of     ..................  .  ..............  87 

,,           and  residence  must  harmonize   ....................  94 

,,           and  terrace  gardens      .................................  87 

,,           at  Blicking  Hall    .......................................  91 

at  Graythwaite  Hall     ........  .........................  91 

,,           at  Haddon  Hall     .......................................  91 

at  Tissington  .............................................  91 

,,           at  Wood,  Devonshire   .................................  91 

.,           balanced  effect,  how  obtained    .....................  141 

,,           examples  of    ..........  ,  ..................................  90 

,,           focussing  views  from    .................................  88 

,,           lawns  for  games  on      .................................  101 

,,           gardens  too  flat  for  ....................................  104 

,,           grass  banks  for      .......................................  92 

,,           in  black  slate     ..........................................  94 

levels  of       ................................................  88 

,,           paving  for  ................................................  100 

,,           restful  effect  of      .......................................  87 

,,           surfaces  of  ................................................  100 

,,           terminations  of  ..........................................  88 

,,           walls  for  ...................................................  92 

widths  of     ................................................  90 

,,           with  a  cross  fall    .............  .  .........................  91 

Thomas,  Edward     ...................................................  1  1 

Thorn  hedges,  how  to  plant     ....................................  259 

Thornton  Manor,  carriage  court  at    ..........  .  ................  49 

,,               ,,       gatehouse  at    .................................  49 

,,                ,,        kitchen  garden  at       ........................  245 

Three-quarter-span  glasshouses    .................................  224 

Tile  and  brick  coping     .............................................  61 

paving    ............................  .................  131 

Timber,  preservation  of     ..........................................  163 

Time  as  told  by  sundials  and  clocks     ........................  159 

Tissington,  terraces  at       .....  ....................................  91 

Tivoli,  steps  at    ......................................................  99 

Topiary      ...............................................................  259 

,,         dwarf      ......................................................  262 

,,         sundials      ...................................................  159 

Topographical  architecture    .......................................  15 

Town  garden,  large    ................................................  338 

Training  of  landscape  architects      ..............................  18 

Treatment  of  old  walls      ..........................................  209 

,,            ,,   terrace  walls  .......................................  92 

Tree-guards       .........................................................  276 

Trees  for  avenues   ...................................................  72 

,,     fruit    ............................................................  247 

,,     groves  of    ......................................................  253 

,,     how  to  plant     ................................................  275 


GENERAL    INDEX— continued. 


Page 

•Trees  of  naturally  formal  habit 261 

.Treillage  167 

„  in  the  conservatory  218 

Trellis  164 

,,  for  peach  houses  225 

Trenching  236 

Trentham,  Portugal  laurels  at  261 

"Tricks"  in  landscape  gardening 69 

Tubs,  wooden  167 

Tudor  garden,  restoration  of  388 

Turf  for  lawns  129 

Twin  lodges  39 

Typical  site  described  25 

UNCLIMBABLE  fencing         57,  257 

Undulations,  artificial     125 

Uniformity  in  trees  for  avenues,  how  to  obtain     72 

Unnecessarily  long  drives      70 

Unsightly  back  premises,   how  to  screen       217 

Upkeep  of  gardens      29 

Urns  161 

VAN  ALLEN,  J.  J.,  Esq.,  gardens  for  388 

Vases  1 61 

Verandahs  137 

Verges  134 

Views  from  terraces,  treatment  of  88 

Villa  d'Este,  steps  at  99 

Vineries,  brickwork  for 225 

design  of 225 

,,  heating  of  221 

Vistas,  framed  by  plantations  .^ 270 

,,  .  treatment  of  walks  at  ends  of  x". 253 

Visualising  curves  48 


WALKS       121, 

,,         asphalt      

„          bower    

,,         bordered  by  carnations     

„         breadths  of      

,,         cement      

,,         connection  of  with  carriage  drive      

,,         culs-de-sac  in      

,,         curved,  when  to  use     

filbert    

gravelled  

,,         inconspicuous  

in  kitchen  gardens     

„         in  the  rock  garden    : 

,,         in  the  wall  garden     

„         in  the  informal  garden     

„         paved    

,,         pleached       

,,         Repton  on  the  design  of     

„         treatment  of  at  ends  of  vistas  

,,         treatment  of  verges       

,,         unnecessarily  circuitous    

Wall  fountains     

,,     garden      

».          ,,       and  rock  garden,  distinction  between 

,,  ,,        how  to  build    

,,     trellis   

Walls  and  grass  banks  compared    

,,       brick       

for  kitchen  gardens     

,,      old,  how  to  treat     IIt 

open  panels  in      

stone 


130 
132 
255 

112 
I30 

132 

J34 
133 
355 
262 
132 
132 
240 
207 
207 
133 


133 
253 
'34 
130 
184 
206 
208 
207 
1  66 
92 
61 

237 

209 

61 

DO 


Walls  to  terraces     

,,       wiring  for  fruit         

Warren,  E.  P.,  lodges  by     

,,         House,  gardens  at  

Water,   decorative  treatment  of       

informal  treatment  of 

,,       levels  of  canals 

lilies  in  fountain  basins   

Water-lily  ponds 

,,          ,,          ,,       statuary  for      

Water,  misuse  of     

,,       pavilions 

,,       plants  for    

,,       supply  for  fountains        18^. 

,,  ,,         ,,    kitchen  gardens     

,,  ,,         ,,    glasshouses      

works,  elaborate,  out  of  place  in  English  gardens 

Water's  fascinating  qualities    

Weed  killers,  effect  on  bricks 

West  Coast,  gardens  on     

Wild  garden,   fencing  for       

,,  ,,         site  of 

Wild  gardens         

.,  ,,         specialised       

Wind  and  fountain  sprays        

Windermere,  design  for  gardens  at  the  Corbels      

,,  gardens  at  Clevehowe        

,,  ,,         at  Shrublands      

to  semi-detached  houses  at      

Windsor  Castle,  gardens  at      

Wing  walls,  curved,  method  of  setting  out      

„     to  entrances       

Winter  display  in  the  rock  garden     

„       effects,  planting  for      

,,       gardens        

terraces  for  use  in        

Wire   fencing     

Wiring  fruit  walls       

Wolverhampton,  lake  in  the  East  Park        

Wood,  Devonshire,    Bridge  at      

,,  ,,  carriage  court  at     49, 

,,  ,,  description  of  grounds       

espaliers  at       

, ,  , ,  gates  at     

gate  piers  at    

, ,  , ,  terraces  at        

Wood  for  garden  furniture,  which  is  best        

Wood  Hall,  Cockermouth,  description  of  grounds 

Wooden  balustrades  for  terraces     

,,          bridges       '. 

,,         garden  furniture      

,,         seats      

gates      

,,         staging  for  glasshouses      

tubs   

Woodland    glades    126, 

,,  walks,  seats  for       

Wraysbury,   gardens  at      

gate  at        

Wrest,  Bedfordshire,  canal  at      

Wrought  iron  fences       

Wych  Cross,  frame  ground  at     

,,          ,,       glasshouses  at      

,,  ,,        kitchen  garden  at        


Page 
92 

238 

41 
114 

175 

103 
192 

'S3 
187 

188 

175 
172 

325 

185 

241 

227 

176 

175 

131 

23 

58 

202 
201 
212 
J77 
331 

354 

334 

325 

3 

48 

47 

211 

2/4 
2I7 
IOO 

57 
238 
195 

M7 

80 

363 

243 
46 

43 

91 

162 

38i 
94 
148 
162 
1 66 
46 
225 
167 
352 
169 
104 

<M 
190 

62 
246 
227 
234 


YEW  alleys    255 

hedges   255 

clipped   259 


W.  HOLMES,  LTD.,  General  Printers,  Ulverston,  Lanes. 


404 


- 


THIS  BOOK  IS  DUE  ON  THE  LAST  DATE 
STAMPED  BELOW 


AN  INITIAL  FINE  OF  25  CENTS 

WILL.  BE  ASSESSED  FOR  FAILURE  TO  RETURN 
THIS  BOOK  ON  THE  DATE  DUE.  THE  PENALTY 
WILL  INCREASE  TO  SO  CENTS  ON  THE  FOURTH 
DAY  AND  TO  $1.OO  ON  THE  SEVENTH  DAY 
OVERDUE. 


•Juw   3    1937 

DEC  171937 

.pa  1  0  1942 

ftrrt  •»•*•* 

LD  21-100m-8,'34 

YH  00424 


P3 

X 

UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY